SZH doctors, staff continue strike

LAHORE:The boycott of Out-Patient Department (OPD) services at Shaikh Zayed Hospital, here, continued for third consecutive day on Monday against non-payment of salaries and lack of facilities.

The Young Doctors Association (YDA), nurses and paramedics protested outside the administration block and raised slogans against the federal government and the administration. The federal government-run hospital in Lahore is suffering from financial problems as it failed to pay salaries to doctors and other staff for two months.

The patients, especially coming from distant areas, are suffering immensely and extremely worried. The slip-issuing counter was also closed. The YDA SZH chapter President Dr Hasan Raza said that there are no life-saving medicines, while most of the medical machinery was also out of order in the hospital. He said that YDA has raised its voice on different forums for a year but nothing was done.

The Federal Health Minister was also informed about the problems in the hospital, but no action was taken. The YDA said that the protest would continue until salaries are paid and medicines and other facilities are provided in the hospital. “If the demands are not accepted, the scope of the protest will be widened,” YDA warned.