Like other cities in the province, the Young Doctors Association staged demonstrations on major roads in Multan, Bahawalpur,Dera Ghazi Khan, Rahimyarkhan for three and half an hours on Tuesday to press for the demand of implementation of agreed service structure, promotion of doctors, payment of salaries to all PG trainees and early completion of ongoing development projects at government hospitals.As five hours long talks with government team failed to resolve the issue late Monday night, YDA went ahead with the plan of staging sit in on major roads on Tuesday. Doctors from nine hospitals blocked four major roads at around10:30 am and continued sit in till 2:00 pm, causing worst traffic jam in the heart of the City at peak hours. Even ambulances were seen stuck due to long queues of vehicles on major roads. Doctors from Jinnah Hospital and Shaikh Zayed Hospital blocked Canal Bank Road and those from Mayo Hospital, Dental Hospital and Sir Ganga Ram Hospital staged sit in on The Mall. Doctors from Lahore General Hospital and Children’s Hospital staged demonstration on Ferozepur Road while those from Services Hospital and Punjab Institute of Cardiology blocked Jail Road.Carrying placards and banners inscribed with their demands, the protesting doctors chanted slogans against the government. YDA leaders Dr Hamid Butt, Dr Amer Bandesha, Dr Ajmal, Dr Adnan, Dr Abid Abbas, Dr Umar Shah, Dr Asif, Dr Khuzaima and Dr Usman Maan led demonstrations outside their respective hospitals. Absence of doctors caused huge inconvenience to the visiting patients who left with no other option except to approach nearby private healthcare institutions for treatment. Those who could not afford private treatment went back home after going through agony of waiting for doctors for hours. Hundreds of scheduled and emergency surgeries were also postponed due to protests of doctors. Dr Amer Bandesha said that protest would continue for three weeks or until fulfillment of demands. He said that the government had agreed to a 52-point draft agreement on November 7, 2012. It had agreed to promote 4,000 doctors to the 18th grade. However, this has not happened so far, he said. He said that over 1200 PG trainees were working in the province without getting salaries. He said that the Health Department had also stopped payment to another 300 PG trainees drawing salaries from districts. He said the announcement by the government to create new posts for doctors would not change the situation. The issue of service structure and promotions could not be resolved by just creating new posts, he said.
