Young Doctors Association (YDA) President Dr. Shoaib Khan on Thursday filed a petition in the Lahore High Court (LHC), seeking the formation of a judicial commission to ascertain the reasons for the deaths of babies at Sahiwal Teaching Hospital that led to a visit by Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Maryam Nawaz and eventually arrests of some senior doctors and nurses.
Making the Punjab government, secretary specialized health, secretary primary health and other respondents in the petition, the petitioner argued that Secretary Specialized Health Ali Jan was responsible for the deterioration of the situation at the province’s hospitals.
He further said that it was the secretary who had misguided the chief minister due to which doctors and nurses were arrested while some were suspended. “Therefore, it is prayed to the court to order the constitution of a judicial commission to identify those responsible for babies’ deaths; order legal action against the secretary, and declare ‘illegal’ action taken against doctors and nurses null and void.
Doctors’ strike at Lahore hospitals now into 13th day
The services of some senior doctors have been hired at government hospitals of Lahore as the strike by young doctors entered into its 13th day on Thursday. The YDA has demanded legal action against those responsible for the arrests of doctors and nurses at a Sahiwal hospital.
Doctors continue their strike at Sargodha hospitals
On the other hand, patients are facing great hardships as the strike by doctors at Sargodha Faisal Masroor Teaching Hospital and other city hospitals entered into 12th day on Thursday.
The hospitals’ outdoor departments are completely shut. On the other hand, Young Doctors Association (YDA) President Dr. Usama has made it clear that doctors will not end their strike unless their demands are met. He has demanded the transfer of the secretary health, Punjab and asked the provincial Chief Minister (CM) Maryam Nawaz to apologize for the treatment meted out to some senior doctors at a Sahiwal hospital. The YDA president has asked the CM to withdraw the cases registered against doctors in Sahiwal.
YDA present its demands to Sindh government
The Young Doctors Association and Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) have presented their big demands to the Sindh health department.
In their meeting with Secretary Health Rehan Baloch, the office-bearers of joint action committees of both associations have demanded a third-party audit of the funds received by PPHI and other NGOs.
Similarly, they have demanded the promotion of doctors from grade 17 to grade 19 to the next grades.
They have also demanded an extension in the contract of those doctors who had been hired for the treatment of coronavirus patients. The associations have also put forward the demand for Health Risk and Professional Allowances for the members of their community. Other demands they have made are the provision of facilities at health centers and increasing the number of dental surgeons. The health secretary has assured them that their fair demands will be met.