Provincial Doctors' Association (PDA), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has welcomed that the pay-raise package for the doctors' community of the province and called for seven percent allocation for the sector from the total fiscal budget to improve the health delivery system.
Speaking at a news conference here on Thursday, PDA provincial president, Dr Shah Sawar said that government has accepted their demands after a long struggle of doctors' community in the province. He said that the doctors protest drive made it possible to give an attractive and equal pay package to community. He extended special gratitude to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister, Ameer Haider Khan Hoti and Provincial Minister for Health, Syed Zahir Ali Shah for acceptance of their demands.
He said the PDA has always adopted negotiation and table talk for resolution of all issues, saying that the protest campaign was used as the last option to press for demands. During the drive, he added, doctors provided emergency cover in different teaching hospital and periphery units keeping in view suffering of poor patients. He further said that doctors' community would support any step for improvement of health delivery system in the province. He assured that the community would come up to the expectations of patients and government.
Expressing deep concern over the abduction of Dr Bilal, the PDA provincial chief demanded of the government for proactive measures for his immediate and safe recovery. He demanded comprehensive security arrangements for doctors' community in the province in wake of poor law and order situation. He also demanded autonomy of heath institutions in the province. He assured the government that the community would extend all kind of support for better health delivery in the province.