Minister for National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination (NHSR&C) Dr Zafar on Thursday announced a special package for doctors of the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), in which more than 70 percent increase in different allowances will be practiced. The minister announced this while addressing to a press conference after a ceremony in the hospital. “We negotiate a complete package for all doctors from grade 17 to 20 and finalized two additional allowances for these doctors named as Special Health Care Allowance and None Practicing Allowance”, he announced. While explaining the increment formula, Dr Mirza said 75 percent increment would be given on each Special Health Care Allowance and None Practicing Allowance as per basic pay of the doctors. He claimed that the health reforms are underway across the country under the cover of incumbent government. “To keep health sector in the list of top priorities was vision of prime Minster Imran Khan and we are working on this very seriously”, he recalled. To reply a question regarding shut down of Bone Transplant Centre in the PIMS, the centre was sole in the country, the minister said that he is personally investigating into this matter. The doctors in the PIMS, however, rejected the minister’s announcement and demanded a uniform pay mechanism in the hospital. “We demand uniform pay and service structure for all health employees from grade 1 to grade 20 within under the civil servant act 1973”, said Dr Asfandyar Khan spokesman All Employees PIMS Restoration Movement (AEPRM). He also President of young Doctors Association (YDA) The doctors said that their previous strategy the two hours token protest would be continue daily in PIMS from Monday until acceptance of their all demands They claimed that the minister announced Key Performance Indicator (KPI) which, they alleged, is another form of proposed Medical Teaching Institute (MTI) law. “We will not let anyone to play with career of thousands of employees and millions of patients”, they reaffirmed. According to the details the PIMS employees including professor consultants, young doctors, nurses paramedics and other supporting staff are continuing their protest outside hospital admin office against MTI. They committed that they would resist every move aimed at introduction of such system. All unions and associations of PIMS ranging from those representing doctors and nurses to paramedical and non-medical staff and officers unanimously concurred to the proposal of holding a token strike from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day to raise voice against the enforcement of a “totally unacceptable system” which they believe will “severely compromise the provision and availability of health services” to the common man. They warned the federal government, as well as the health ministry and PIMS administration, to desist from promoting the Insaf Doctors Federation under the umbrella of the Ministry of Health and the PIMS administration as they fear that such measures will pave the way for all political parties to introduce their respective political wings in the hospital. “Such a move will lead to the creation of forums like Peoples’ Doctors Forum, Pukhtoon Doctors Forum, Punjabi Doctors Forum, etc., and this is least acceptable to all other quarters. “The federal government itself will be responsible for any consequences resulting from the propagation and implementation of such ideas,” threatened in a statement issued by AEPRM. AEPRM also condemned the tactics allegedly being adopted by the government to pressurize their top leadership. “We will not cow down to such pressures or threats. AEPRM will start a door-to-door campaign in all components of PIMS to create awareness among employees and patients alike. Various task forces have already been constituted for the purpose,” the statement informs. According to AEPRM, the National Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine (NIRM) and Polyclinic Hospital will also be lined up for the anti-MTI token protest. “We will also reach out to the civil society, merchant associations, and secretariat unions, and will not allow any compromises to be made with regard to provision of health services.