LAHORE – Once again Young Doctors Association (YDA) members staged protest demonstrations in favour of their demands on Wednesday morning, blocking five main roads and troubling patients, commuters in Lahore.
According to our staff reporter, young doctors held protest on five major roads of Lahore to press for the demand of implementation of agreed service structure, promotion of doctors, payment of salaries to all PG trainees, other major issues and early completion of ongoing development projects at government hospitals.
The doctors protested at main thoroughfares including The Mall, Jail Road, Ferozpur Road, Canal Road and Ravi Road. Patients faced problems due to the unavailability of doctors in hospitals, while the blockage of traffic for several hours caused inconvenience to citizens. Even ambulances were seen stuck due to long queues of vehicles on the roads.
The protestors were carrying placards and banners mentioning words in favor of their demands and chanting slogans against the Punjab government, health department and Khawaj Salman Rafique for not materializing their promises regarding service structure and other issues.
The YDA representatives said that the Punjab government was not paying attention to the complaints of young doctors despite the fact that they boycotted the OPD services in the public hospitals for last few years demanding for provision of proper service structure as majority of doctor remained in same grade for years without promotions.
Speaking to the participants, YDA office-bearers demanded that the government raise doctor’s salaries and fulfilling the other demands as per promise of the Punjab chief minister, the Health Department and Adviser on Health Khawaja Salman Rafique as well as promote them into grade 18.
According to the set agreements between the government and the YDA, YDA office barriers said that the government has not fulfilled fifty per cent demands of YDA and currently government was running away from its promises.
The YDA protesters warned the government to hear their demands otherwise they will not be left any other option to chock provincial metropolis. YDA also announced their strikes will be continued till the acceptance of their demands.
