LAHORE, March 26: The Pakistan Medical Association, Punjab, Postgraduate Doctors Action Committee and Dental Doctors’ Association on Saturday jointly observed a ‘black day’ against what they called ‘occupation’ of PGMI’s facilities by the Services Hospital authorities. According to the associations’ spokesman, the doctors wore black arm-bands at all government hospitals in the province to protest against, what they termed, the anti-doctors steps taken by the administration of the Services Institute of Medical Sciences/Services Hospital (SIMS/SH). In Lahore, the doctors at emergency wards of various hospitals performed their duties while wearing black arm-bands.Later, in the afternoon, the associations’ representatives held a meeting chaired by Dr Saghir Baloch and alleged the steps would damage the postgraduate and basic sciences education. The meeting demanded that the government should bar SIMS/SH administration from taking the anti-doctors and anti-education steps.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Baloch said the PGMI was rendering services in the promotion of education in basic science disciplines and the institute graduates were serving all over the country and abroad. He said there was a great concern among doctors that the health department was not taking any action against ‘the armed action’ by SIMS.

He alleged the SIMS administration had forcibly occupied PGMI’s hostel, auditorium, conference room and other facilities.

The meeting demanded that the Punjab health department should take action and help PGMI get back the facilities.

The meeting criticized hostel warden Dr Saeed Ashraf Cheema for employing different tactics to tease hostel residents.

The meeting participants jointly demanded that the government should encourage PGMI’s faculty and other staff members by awarding them lucrative salaries.

They said the government should accept their genuine demands otherwise they would observe a sit in in front of the Punjab Assembly on April 19.