LAHORE - The Young Doctors Association continued its strike for the sixth day, reiterating the demands to protection of doctors and to revoke Central Induction Policy devised by the Punjab government.

Jinnah Hospital, Services and Punjab Institute of Cardiology were worst hit by the strike on Sunday.

The health department meanwhile dismissed 66 doctors from service for not performing their duty. The department also warned the protesting doctors of further strict action if they continue to neglect patients.

The other day, Minister for Specialised Healthcare Khawaja Salman Rafiq held a meeting with the heads of government hospitals, where he sought a list of the doctors absent from duties. The minister had ordered dismissal orders for the house officers who did not report to work by 8pm on August 2. However, he appreciated the medics who were on duty disregarding the strike.

YDA completely shut down Out Patients Departments (OPDs) and indoor wards of hospitals for the sixth day. In Services Hospital Emergency senior doctors continued their work in the absence of young doctors.

Patients hailing from far flung areas faced difficulties as shortage of doctors led to disruption of operations. They appealed Punjab CM Shehbaz Sharif to look into the matter and bring new policy to defuse the situation that only affected the patients.

YDA demands include ‘one patient one bed policy’, safety of doctors, establishment of burnt units, cardiac centers, suspension of specialised healthcare secretary Najam Ahmad Shah.

The protesting doctors say the Central Induction Policy is policy based on discrimination and it was playing with the future of doctors. They say the Policy discriminates between the ones who have graduated from government institutes and those who have received their education from private ones. Since majority of the doctors have graduated from private medical colleges, they want the policy to be revoked and equal system be set for all.

OUR STAFF REPORTER/AGENCIES