LAHORE, Feb 16: The Medical Teachers Association, Punjab, and the General Cadre Doctors Association have accelerated their efforts to convince young doctors to resolve their issue through a dialogue instead of politicising it.

“Young Doctors Association Punjab leaders have shown flexibility in recent meetings with the senior medics,” MTA Punjab General Secretary Dr Tehseen Riaz said on Saturday.

He said the MTA had convinced young doctors to first apologise to their senior colleagues for misbehaving with them during the ongoing strike.

Dr Tehseen said MTA had categorically conveyed to the YDA leaders that the seniors would not tolerate humiliation and warned them of withdrawing support in case any incident occurred in future.

He said the YDA office-bearers asked the MTA delegation to arrange a meeting of principals and other senior medics with the young doctors to defuse tension.

He said MTA had also met the principals of some medical institutions and informed them about the development.

“The heads of medical institutions also gave a positive signal to MTA for an effective solution to the ongoing hunger strike issue,” Dr Tehseen Riaz said, adding that MTA later briefed the health authorities about its meetings with YDA and principals of the government medical institutions.

He said the mediation efforts would continue, expressing the hope that the issue would be resolved in some coming meetings.

Meanwhile, the young doctors continued to observe hunger strike on the 13th day on Saturday.