Daily Times

PESHAWAR: Young Doctors Association President Dr. Gulab Noor Afridi has welcomed the negotiation offer presented by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan and said that the only genuine demand of the young doctors is the restoration of Post Graduate Medical Institute which was never conveyed by the provincial government to PTI chairman in a proper way.

In a statement Gulab Noor Afridi said that they are not against Medical Teaching Institute Reform Act but they support the government reforms in these hospitals but abolishment of decades old post graduate medical institute (PGMI) will create multiple problems for the doctors and their experience would not be acceptable to PMDC if this vital institute was abolished.

He added that doctors are not demanding increase in their salaries neither have they demand any allowances but their only demand is the restoration of PGMI and reinstatement of its faculty. He said that when doctors pass their FCPS part-1 examination, PGMI provides essential training and salaries to these doctors who are working in different hospitals. He said that Lady Reading Hospital was affiliated with Post Graduate Medical Institute of Peshawar and now after suspension of this body PMDC has suspended the experience of all the staff and demanding its affiliation with any medical college.

He mentioned that PGMI was not only affiliation body for Lady Reading Hospital but it was also guardian of doctors training and financial resources. Gulab Noor said that if PGMI was abolished it will be hard for teaching hospital to provide such kind training and funds for the Trainee Medical officers.

He said that certain people are spreading propaganda that doctors are demanding an increased in salaries and abolishment of biometric system but it was aimed to discourage doctors’ peaceful protest. He maintained that the training process of doctors in other province is very poor due to absence of PGMI and that is why that other provinces are also copying this model.

He hoped that Provincial Health Minister Sharam Taraki and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan would take this issue seriously and would restore this vital institute in the greater interest of this province.

It is pertinent to mentioned here that it was 26th day of the young doctors, who are protesting against the provincial government for the restoration of the Post Graduate Medical Institute.

They also boycotted their services in various hospitals and police resorted on baton charge to disperse their protest which had created impediments in patient care in Hayatabad Medical Complex, Peshawar.