PESHAWAR, May 30: The Provincial Doctors Association (PDA) called off its strike conditionally after holding negotiations with government on Monday. PDA has asked its members to rejoin their duties at hospitals.
PDA president Dr Shah Sawar and Special Secretary Health Dr Noorul Iman told journalists at a joint press conference that the strike was being called off following assurances by the government that the doctors would get all those incentives provided to their colleagues in Punjab province.
“If the government fails to materialise its commitment, the doctors will have the option to restart the strike for their rights,” said PDA president.
He said that a delegation of doctors held negotiations with provincial government to resolve the issue and the doctors ended their strike keeping in view the miseries of poor patients, he added.
“As a result of the consultations and negotiations, the government agreed to offer same package to doctors of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as their colleagues in Punjab,” he added.
Dr Sawar said that provincial government assured doctors of implementation of four-tier formula, provision of package for TMOs, initiatives for induction of doctors in general cadre and provision of adequate security to medics in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa hospitals.
He said that people of the province were faced with countless problems owing to lawlessness. The doctors had to shoulder the problems with the people, he said. He said that government should announce reasonable package for doctors.
The PDA president regretted that patients suffered a lot during the three weeks strike by doctors. They had the only option to go on strike as government avoided giving them attention despite appeals, he added.
He hoped that government would honour its commitment and plan a tangible mechanism for solution to their problems. In case of any kind of delaying tactics the doctors would again go on strike, he threatened.
He also lauded affiliated bodies of the association for supporting the cause of doctors, urging them to maintain unity in future also. He also welcomed the provincial government for accepting doctors' demands in best interest of the ailing humanity.
Dr Noorul Iman said that government would offer package to doctors in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on the pattern of Punjab in a speedily manner.
He said that all the facilities would be based on principles and according to rules and regulations. Though the province would have to bear additional burden following implementation of package, yet it would be lesser than Punjab owing to population factor, he added.