Young doctors of Sindh may resort to protest and strikes, if Punjab government accepted the demands of young doctors of Punjab, who in turn might also press the Sindh government to give the same incentives to them. Sources said that following the protest of young doctors in Punjab hospitals, Young Doctors Association (YDA) Sindh is contemplating to launch protest drive for acceptance of their lingering demands.
An office-bearer of YDA Sindh told Business Recorder that despite the assurance of Sindh government only few of their demands were accepted, adding that time-scale formula, service structure and enhancing health professional allowance were yet not met.
He said that YDA Sindh chapter had already demanded time scale formula, service structure and enhancement in basic salary, appointment of medical officer directly in 18 grade and fixing stipends of Postgraduate trainees equal to that of medical officer but they only managed to negotiate on increase in basic pay.
Sources said that young doctors of Sindh province held meeting to take stock of the situation emerged after the protest of their colleagues in Punjab. "An even treatment be given to all doctors in line with existing service rules," said a doctor, who wished not to be named.
Dr Syed Abbas Shah, President YDA Sindh, said that Sindh government was giving Rs 15,000 in head of health professional allowance, which should be equal to basic salary. "Sindh government had constituted two member committee comprising Sindh Finance Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah and Sindh Health Minister Dr Sagheer Ahmad on April 6, 2011 to review the demands of young doctors serving at Sindh government-run hospitals," Abbas recalled.
He said the committee approved only 1500 promotions to doctors but their other basic demands of time scale formula, service structure, and appointment of medical officer directly in 18 grade were not considered. He said that YDA was being pushed towards the wall through brutal tactics in Punjab. He recalled the Pay and Pension Commission had also recommended that new appointment of medical officer should be made in grade 18.
He said that the Supreme Court had already ruled that doctors should be given service structure, which, according to him, is not being honoured. Sources said that the federal government had notified service structure for doctors last year but the provinces could not give service structure to their doctors. Though Co-ordinator Provincial Nurses Association (PNA) Shahid Iqbal criticised the arrest and manhandling of doctors in Punjab but he announced his association would not be part of any kind of protest in hospitals.
On the other hand, a meeting of PMA Sindh and Karachi, Sindh Doctor's Welfare Association and representatives of Young Doctor's Association was held, wherein the current situation regarding arrest of young doctors of Punjab was reviewed. The meeting unanimously agreed that the doctors of Sindh would show solidarity with the doctors of Punjab.
They demanded of the Government of Punjab to release unconditionally all the doctors from Police custody and pay sympathetic heed to their demands. PMA also called for withdrawal of all false and fabricated criminal cases against such doctors. In case of non-fulfilment of their demands by July 4, the meeting decided to shut down OPDs initially for 02 hours throughout Sindh.
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