LAHORE, Jan 18: Members of the Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) on Sunday threatened to launch a “province-wide movement” against the Punjab government if it failed to bring bureaucrats of the health department into line.
“Instead of solving the grievances of the medical community, the bureaucracy constitutes countless committees while the real issues remain on the back-burner,” said Dr Yasmin Rashid, Lahore President of the PMA.
In a statement, Dr Yasmin complained that ordinary people were suffering as a consequence of the bureaucracy’s intransigence as they were not able to get access to free-of-charge facilities they are entitled to. In addition, she said doctors working on contract were not being regularised.
Likewise doctors with postgraduate qualifications were not being promoted in line with the formula outlined by the Punjab Public Service Commission.
Dr Yasmin observed that should the need arise, the PMA’s 8,000 members could “keep the government on their toes” by province-wide action including protests and strikes.
The PMA also condemned the murder of Shaikh Zayed Hospital chief administrator Dr Saboor Malik last week and called upon the police to ensure the culprits were brought to justice.
The PMA also expressed its grief over the death of former principal of Government College University Prof Ashfaq Ahmed Khan last month.
ANTI-POLIO DRIVE: Chairman of the Chief Minister’s Task Force for Polio Eradication Dr Asad Ashraf announced on Sunday that the second phase of an anti-polio campaign would be conducted between Jan 19-21 in the remaining 18 districts of Punjab.
Director-general of health department Dr M Aslam Chaudhry said 8,047,000 children of up to five years of age would be administered polio drops during three days.
He said 21,665 mobile vaccination teams had been constituted for the purpose whereas 3,765 area and 706 zonal supervisors were appointed.
The polio drops facility would be available at hospitals and health centres from 8am to 5pm for three days as well. Camps would be set up at airports, bus terminals and railway stations so that passengers can administer polio drops to their children.
Lahore, Nankana Sahib, Kasur, Sheikhupura, Okara, Toba Tek Singh, Multan, Lodhran, Vehari, DG Khan, Muzaffargarh, Rajanpur, Layyah, Bahawalpur, Rahim Yar Khan, Bahawalnagar, Bhakkar and Hafizabad are included in this phase.
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