LAHORE - The Young Doctors Association (YDA) continued its strike at Out Patients Departments (OPDs) and indoor wards of hospitals across the province on Saturday.

Like the last four days, the ailing humanity was the ultimate sufferer amid the YDA strike, which left no option open for them except returning home or going to private health facilities for treatment.

The protesting doctors manhandled a woman reporter and cameraman of a private TV channel at OPD of Jinnah Hospital for covering the strike. Specialised Healthcare and Medical Education Secretary Najam Ahmed Shah constituted a two-member committee consisting Prof Assad Aslam Khan and Prof Asghar Naqi from the King Edward Medical University (KEMU)/Mayo Hospital to investigate the incident. The committee will submit its report to the secretary within three days.

Like Friday, the SH&ME Department continued action against doctors for staying away from duty. Another 21 doctors were terminated and one was directed to report to the department.

YDA leader Dr Shabbir Chaudhry, working at Jinnah Hospital, has been directed to report to the department. The SH&ME Department has terminated 15 doctors from Jinnah Hospital, five from Gujrat Hospital and one from Services Hospital. The department has also decided to recruit medical officers (MOs) and women medical officers (WMOs) through walk-in interviews.

Although the management kept OPDs open with the help of faculty members and seniors, the number of healthcare providers was too little to cater to the needs of a big number of patients.

The YDA strike hampered service delivery besides causing cancellation of scheduled surgeries at teaching hospitals across the province.

Mayo Hospital, the only fully functional health facility in Lahore, attracted a big number of patients. An extraordinary rush of patients hampered smooth service delivery at the biggest hospital in the province. Unlike previous days, situation improved at the Lahore General Hospital where faculty and senior doctors checked around 3,000 patients at the OPD. Services Hospital, PIC and Jinnah Hospital were worst hit by the strike. The YDA forcibly closed down OPDs at PIC, Services and Jinnah Hospital, causing thousands of patients to either return home or approach other public sector or private hospitals for treatment.

The Jinnah Hospital administration however managed to restore services at OPD. Fearing action, more than 25 protesting doctors resumed duty at OPD, enabling the faculty and senior doctors to treat patients.  Medical Superintendent Dr Sohail Saqlain said that seven protesting doctors were terminated on Friday and another 15 on Saturday. He said that protesting doctors were resuming duties. He said the process of terminating absent doctors would continue. He said that posts of MOs/WMOs had been advertised. He said that vacant posts would be filled through walk-in interviews.

Patients and their attendants held the government responsible for the situation. They urged the government to end the issue once and for all by giving exemplary punishment to habitual protesters. The YDA has announced that it will continue its strike till acceptance of demands, such as withdrawal of central induction policy for PG trainees, removal of Najam Ahmed Shah as secretary of SH&ME, provision of security at hospitals and setting up burn units.