LAHORE - Punjab Paramedics Alliance held a rally and staged a sit-in outside Chief Minister’s Secretariat on Monday to press for their demands of implementation of service structure, regularisation of ad hoc employees and health professional allowance.
The paramedics stayed away from duties and blocked The Mall, causing worst traffic mess on the main artery and hampering service delivery at hospitals. The paramedics’ strike caused a great deal of problems for the patients in hospitals as they withdrew services from OPDs and operation theatres.
The poor patients, who had come from far-off districts, were the worst affected as paramedics were not available to assist the doctors and nurses.
The paramedics were carrying banners and placards inscribed with their demands and chanting slogans against the government and condemning it for not implementing service structure despite chief minister’s directions almost four years ago. PPA Chairman Malik Munir said that the services had been withdrawn from OPDs, Indoor wards and operation theatres.
Earlier, the paramedics and health support staff from all over Punjab started rally from Jinnah Hospital on Canal Road, turned to Jail Road and then reached Club Chowk to stage a sit-in. The paramedics of Shaikh Zayed Hospital, Punjab Institute of Mental Health, Punjab Institute of Cardiology, Services Hospital and Sir Ganga Ram Hospital joined the rally and finally staged a sit-in at Club Chowk.
Besides them, the paramedics from Lahore General Hospital, Children’s Hospital and Mayo Hospital also joined the protest. The closure of roads during the rally from Jinnah Hospital to Club Chowk and blockade of The Mall created massive inconvenience for the people, who remained stuck in traffic for hours.
The PPA leaders said the Punjab government had not given service structure to grade-1 to grade-4 employees, while implementation on promised service structure of grade-5 to grade-17 paramedics was stopped and health professional allowance had also not been given. They further demanded to regularise employees of Boards of Management, daily wagers and work-charge employees in hospitals.