Turning a blind eye to the government's warning of taking a stern action against them, the doctors amid a crippling strike in all health facilities across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) continued the boycott of their duties in outpatient departments (OPDs) for the fourth consecutive day on Saturday.
While, agreeing to negotiate with the protesting doctors, KP government has called for a meeting on Tuesday (May 21).
The situation worsened after all OPDs in all major hospitals all over the province were closed due to the doctors' protest following a brawl between a senior doctor and the provincial minister health and his guards in the Khyber Teaching Hospital (KTH).
The provincial health department on Saturday issued an official notification to the KP Doctors' Council directing them to immediately end the strike. The government has also deputed an additional contingent of police in hospitals to formally reopen the OPDs.
Unprecedented security measures were taken with additional deployment of police contingents at three major public sector including Lady Reading Hopsital, Khyber Teaching Hospital and Hayatabad Medical Complex in Peshawar.
According to the KP Doctors' Council, apart from emergency services, there is a complete strike in hospitals. However, spokesman and hospital administration claimed that the emergency, OPD along with other services have resumed in all major MTI hospitals in Peshawar.
A day earlier, KP government has issued stern warning to the protesting doctors and asked them to resume duty or face strict action. Patients are being faced with hardship due to doctor strike for the last fourth consecutive day.
Besides the three major hospitals in Peshawar, emergency services have been suspended in Swat, Bannu, DI Khan, Hazara Division, Mardan, Swabi, Nowshera, Charsadda, Karak, Kohat, Dir, Hangu, Chitral and other parts of the province, while besides the Lady Reading Hospital Peshawar, operation theatres (OT) in other hospitals also locked down.
The council also rejected an inquiry committee formed by government to probe the attack on Dr Ziauddin and demanded the formation of a judicial commission. They have also demanded that a case be lodged against the KP Health Minister Dr Hisham Inamullah Khan, his adviser and Dr Nausherwan Burki.
On Friday, KP government spokesman and provincial Minister for Information Shaukat Ali Yousafzai, addressed a presser, and said the government had decided to resume the OPD service from Saturday. Yousafzai stated that OPDs will open at any cost and anyone creating hurdles would be dealt with an iron hand.