Young Doctors of Punjab and Innocent Patients : Army to Help

Lahore : Pakistan Army has accepted the Punjab Government request of sending 15o doctors to facilitate patients in the Lahore hospitals.

Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Regional Public Relation Officer in Lahore Lt Colonel Shahid Abbas Kirmani confirmed the development to The Express Tribune. According to ISPR statement, the doctors would provide services on the request of the Punjab government in public hospitals due to the ongoing strike of Young Doctors Association (YDA) Punjab.

“These doctors will perform their duties in uniform. Army doctors will only provide medical consultancy while administration of hospitals will continue to remain the responsibility of the provincial government,” it added.

The senior doctors of the city also urged CM Punjab to give them more 24 hours , whereas

According to media reports, Section 144 has been imposed at all public hospitals on the directive of the provincial government along with deployment of heavy contingents of riot police.

In another move to force the doctors quit strike, the Punjab government announced that it has decided to hire ad-hoc doctors on a three-year contract.

According to sources, Punjab government is also preparing a list of alternate senior doctors in case of a complete strike.

The provincial government have also directed the concerned authorities that if the need arises, interviews be conducted at teaching hospitals and successful applicants should be hired then and there. A decision has also been made to provide protection to young doctors who are not taking part in the strike.

The decision to hire ad-hoc doctors was made by the Punjab government when the YDA rejected the enforcement of the Essential Services Act terming it a blackmailing tactic.

The strike has so far been a nightmare for the poor patients and their families. The number of patients in emergency wards has increased manifold since there are no doctors available in the OPDs.