YDA strike continues on second consecutive day at Peshawar hospital

PESHAWAR: At least three doctors were injured on Wednesday in clashes with police on the second day of their strike at Hayatabad Medical Complex, a tertiary care facility in the city.

The issue erupted when members of the Young Doctors Association (YDA) entered the outpatient department — amid police resistance — to record their protest. The police wanted to stop them from entering the OPD as it was open for patients at the time. However, once inside the OPD, the doctors chanted slogans against the police and provincial government. The two groups exchanged harsh words after which the police baton-charged them, injuring and detaining a few doctors.

A heavy contingent of police was deployed at the hospital, on the second consecutive day of the YDA protest.

The police were present at the site to stop protesters from demonstrating on the hospital premises as Section 144 has been imposed at hospitals to prevent public from gathering there.

The protest would affect the treatment of around 2,000 patients who visit the medical facility on a daily basis.

The young doctors began their protest on Tuesday, during which police detained several of their members. 

According to Cantt SP Imran Malik, the detained doctors will be brought before court today (Wednesday).

Speaking to the media on Tuesday, YDA President Dr Gulab Noor Afridi said if Imran Khan can protest in the Red Zone [in Islamabad] then why can’t the doctors protest in the hospital’s lawn?”

“Protest is our constitutional right,” he said, adding that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police was worse than the 'Gullu Butts' of Lahore.

Later, Afridi too was detained by the police.

Previously, the YDA have protested outside Lady Reading Hospital and had even set up a hunger strike camp near Sooriya Pul.

The young doctors’ demands include monetary compensation for the martyred doctors, no political interference in the hospital management, security for doctors along with time-scale promotion and professional allowance

Pouring adhesives in locks

While talking to Geo News on Wednesday, HMC Director Dr Shehzad Akbar said the protesting doctors had poured adhesives in the locks – 55 in total. “What sort of a peaceful protest is this?”

He added they do not want patient care to be affected by the doctors’ strike. He added the doctors should protest in the open ground outside the hospital instead of hindering work inside the departments. “Our only purpose is to treat patients coming from low-income backgrounds.”

Akbar added police has arrested a total of 13 doctors. He said if negotiations fail, they would take action against the trainee medical officers.