The Punjab government sent the principals of three medical colleges to Services Hospital to persuade the Young Doctors Association (YDA) Punjab to end its hunger strike, which entered its fourth day on Thursday.
Professor Mahmood Shaukat of Allama Iqbal Medical College, Professor Faisal Masud of Services Institute of Medical Sciences (SIMS) and Professor Fakhar Imam of Fatima Jinnah Medical College went to the hunger strike camp on Thursday and asked the doctors to resolve their dispute through negotiations.
After their visit, the YDA Punjab called a meeting of its General Council. A delegation of YDA leaders including Patron-in-chief Dr Hamid Butt, spokesman Dr Nasir Bokhari and Dr Usman Ayub later went to Prof Masud’s office at SIMS.
“We have sent our delegation to talk with the principals. For now, we cannot say whether or not the talks will be successful. We don’t know yet what mandate the three principals have been given. We will not call off our strike until our demands are met,” said YDA Media Secretary Dr Khurram Shehzad.
Khawaja Salman Rafique, the chief minister’s special assistant on health, said that the government had not held any negotiations with the protesting doctors because the dispute had started when YDA members had mistreated their seniors.
“We have given the seniors the authority to decide matters. If the young doctors can satisfy their seniors and the seniors believe the issue can be resolved, we would be satisfied too,” he said.
The YDA Punjab’s protests began after seven doctors were arrested for roughing up the medical superintendent of Gujranwala District Headquarters Hospital over a month ago. The association has demanded the release of the doctors and the cancellation of subsequent transfers and terminations of doctors.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 8th, 2013.