Doctors' strike across Sindh entered its fourth day on Saturday while thousands of patients suffer intense difficulties due to the shutdown of Outpatient Departments (OPDs) in government-run hospitals. Reportedly, the physicians have been demonstrating against the provincial government of Sindh for failing to increase their salaries and allowances.
Meanwhile, a round of talks between health department and protesting doctors has failed. The doctors denounced the provincial government for failing to issue a notification after committing to resolve their issues during negotiations in the previous strike, and consequently maintained that the boycott would continue till their demands were met.
The striking doctors have demanded that the provincial government increase their salaries, allowances and health insurance to the same levels as those offered to government doctors in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab.
On the other hand, patients have staged sit-ins outside several hospitals against shutdown of OPDs and unavailability of medical treatment. Patients and their relatives have blocked Rafiquee Shaheed Road in a protest and alleged that several children have died due to closure of OPD at the National Institute of Child Health (NICH).
As the stand-off between the Sindh government and the doctors continues, OPDs in Jinnah Postgraduate Medical College (JPMC), Dr Ruth Pfau Civil Hospital, Lyari General Hospital and other government-run hospitals remain suspended.