Khyber Pakhtunkhwa doctors call off strike

Doctors' Community of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Monday announ-ced to conditionally call off strike after provincial government assurance to offer equal salary package to them, but it should be extended, when formally implemented in Punjab. Speaking at a news conference, Provincial president Provincial Doctors' Association (PDA), Dr Shah Sawar said that both doctors' community and provincial government had reached a consensus to offer same package, as announced for community in Punjab.
Following the government assurance, he said the doctors' community is going to call off strike in all teaching hospitals and periphery units in different parts of the province. Flanked by special health secretary, Dr Noorul Eman, president Teaching Staff Association, Post Graduate Medical Institute (PGMI), Dr Sajjad Ahmad along with senior doctors, he said that a doctors' delegation headed by Dean PDMI Lady Reading Hospital (LRH) had negotiated with provincial government to sort of resolution of the issue through dialogue and end three week long strike keeping in view miseries of poor patients.
After consultations and negotiation, he said that both sides had agreed to offer same package to doctors' of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa availing community at federal level and in Punjab. Dr Shah Sawar explained that the provincial government had assured for implementation of 4-tier formula, provision of package for TMOs, initiatives for induction of doctors' in general cadre, provide adequate security arrangements for doctor community in the province.
He said the doctors' community had extended their services despite security concerns and imperils in war-torn province. The government should announce matchless package for doctors' community, which will consider high and attractive as compared to other provinces, he demanded.
He regretted that the patients had suffered a lot during three weeks long doctors strike, saying that they are compelled to use such way for fulfilment of their long pending demands. He said that provincial government should initiate process for devising a concrete and tangible mechanism before implementation of package in Punjab. "We will not accept any kind laziness and delaying tactics in the implementation of their demands", he warned.
Dr Noorul Eman, Special Health Secretary, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa said that the government would extend package like Punjab to doctors' community with transparent and speedily manner in the province. "All facilities should be based on principles and according to rules and regulations", he maintained. Though, he said that the province will bear additional financial burden following implementation of package, but it will be smallest due to population and low strength of doctors in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as compared to Punjab.