66 doctors dismissed as YDA strike enters sixth day

LAHORE: As the strike called by Young Doctors Association entered its sixth day on Sunday, 66 doctors have been dismissed from their duties, according to the health department.

The department has also warned the protesting doctors of further strict action if they continue to neglect patients.

The YDA medics have kept outpatient departments of government hospitals closed, despite Minister for Specialised Healthcare Khawaja Salman Rafiq issuing dismissal orders for the staff on strike.

At a meeting health earlier, 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.

The doctors of the association have demanded the health secretary, Najam Ahmad Shah, be removed from his position and the Centralised Induction Policy, introduced by him, be revoked. They believe that since the health secretary is an engineer he would not be able to relate to or understand issues of the health department.

According to the protesting doctors, Central Induction 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.