Young Doctors Association on Friday held a press conference and protested against the abolition of 192 seats for house officers in different hospitals across the province.
The YDA leaders said the Health Department had agreed in the Service Structure talks to increase the number of seats for house officers to the number of graduating doctors.
“The seats have been increased but the Health Department has abolished 192 seats in hospitals which are not attached to any medical college. These include the Punjab Institute of Cardiology, the Children Hospital Lahore, the Lahore General Hospital and some district headquarters hospitals,” YDA Punjab President Javaid Aheer said at the press conference.
The number of paid house officers slots at hospitals attached with medical colleges have been increased but seats from hospitals without medical schools attached have been deducted. They said this would limit the options available to young graduates.
YDA announced a partial strike at the Outpatient Department (OPD) at the Lahore General Hospital from Monday.
“If the issue is not resolved, the YDA General Council will meet on Wednesday and announce its new strategy will be announced,” Aheer said.
“House officers are the backbone of a hospital. They perform duties round-the-clock and take care of patients at night. Abolishing the seats is great setback to the health structure,” Aheer said.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 24th, 2013.