LAHORE - All issues have been amicably resolved between the Health Department and Young Doctors Association (YDA) regarding the promotion of doctors, PG trainee paid jobs, roadmap for promotion into next grade as well as service structure of doctors.
During a joint press conference at Allama Iqbal Medical College on Thursday, Adviser to Chief Minister Punjab on Health Kh Salman Rafique said the Punjab chief minister has given approval of 10202 new posts while created 800 new vacancies for resolving the issue of postgraduate trainee doctors.
“All the credit for resolution of young doctors’ issues amicably goes to Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif and the chief secretary who gave guidelines and provided funds for the solution of the problems,” the adviser told the media persons.
He further said the Health Department has evolved a framework with timeline for the promotion of doctors from grade-17 to grade-20 and there will be no hurdle in this regard during the next 10 to 15 years.
Parliamentary Secretary Health Kh Imran Nazir, Secretary Health Jawad Rafique Malik, Director General Health Punjab Dr. Zahid Pervaiz and a large number of young doctors were present on the occasion.
Secretary Health Jawad Rafique Malik said that the cases of doctors awaiting promotion from grade 17 to 18 will be disposed of in the month of May for which dates for DPC have been fixed. Similarly, the date up to June has been fixed for the promotion from grade 19 to 20.
Besides giving a historic pay package for doctors’ community, the government has also taken a number of steps for their welfare and the specialist doctors posted in tehsil headquarter hospitals will be given additional allowance of about Rs150,000 and those posted in DHQ hospitals Rs100,000 in addition to their salaries, he informed the journalists.
In order to make basic health centers functional, the government is considering a proposal to recruit doctors up to the age of 63 on contract or ad hoc basis, the health secretary added.
Kh Imran Nazir said the present leadership of YDA has played an important role in resolving the issues with the government.
“It is the desire of Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif and the government that steps should be taken for welfare of the doctors and resolving their matters regarding service structure of the doctors so that they should be no hurdle in the treatment of poor patients,” he told the gathering.
Kh Salman Rafique too expressed his satisfaction over resolving the issues between YDA and Health Department.
A spokesman of YDA, Dr Aamir Bandesha, said on the occasion that the situation has changed in last four years and YDA is more mature now. It is the right of doctors to protest, however, it is their endeavour that their performance at hospitals should not affect.
Bandesha also apologised personally on behalf of YDA for the difficulties faced by the people during their protests.