Patients suffer as YDA continues strike

LAHORE: Unmoved by the blast in Lahore and miseries of patients, Young Doctors Association (YDA), Punjab, continued its outdoor and indoor strike in hospitals across Punjab on 9th consecutive day on Tuesday. 

YDA president Dr Maroof Vaince, Chairman Dr Haider Akhtar and other leaders condemned the bomb blast in Lahore, but failed to withdraw ongoing strike hospitals. They vowed to stand by the victims, claiming that all young doctors were present in the emergency wards to provide treatment to the injured patients. It is worth mentioning here that the young doctors of Mian Munshi Hospital and Mayo Hospital were already distancing themselves from YDA’s strike and were providing treatment to the patients 24/7 despite YDA’s strike call since August 1.

The YDA, instead, is gearing up to close emergency wards, but the split within its ranks is widening as young doctors are questioning appointment of wives of some YDA leaders among Women Medical Officers (WMOs) on ad hoc at Jinnah Hospital. “These YDA leaders accompanied their wives at Secretariat and video footage is evidence,” commented Dr Amjad Aziz in his facebook post of notification of 42 WMOs appointment on ad hoc at Jinnah Hospital. “This is betrayal of community, which is causing downfall of the movement,” he added. Earlier, YDA forcibly closed outdoor wards and boycotted services in indoor wards of Services Hospital, Punjab Institute of Cardiology and Jinnah Hospital, where minor operations were postponed. Most of the young doctors in these hospitals avoided to discharge their duties in emergency wards, which is against YDA’s decision to provide emergency cover during the ongoing strike before its recently announced deadline.