PESHAWAR, Aug 2: All OPDs in the Hayatabad Medical Complex here on Monday remained closed and patients from far-flung areas suffered when Paramedical Class IV Association observed a complete strike to press their demands.

The paramedics and class IV staff gathered in the lawn of the hospital where they were addressed by office-bearers of the association. They demanded that the government should provide accommodation facility and canteen for the staff.

They said that when they avail casual leave they were marked as absent and their pay was deducted and they termed this practice injustice. Observing strike was the last option as we have time and again informed the hospital administration about our problems, said Mohammad Iqbal, president of Paramedical Class IV Association of HMC unit.

Enumerating problems of the paramedic staff in the hospital, he said accommodation, staff shortage, lack of canteen facility and unfair deduction from their salaries have multiplied their worries. However, the paramedic staff called off their strike when the HMC chief executive, Shad Mohammad, assured the staff of resolution of their problems.