QWP leader flays govt for poor policies

PESHAWAR: Qaumi Watan Party (QWP) provincial head Sikandar Hayat Khan Sherpao on Wednesday criticised the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government for its flayed policies particularly in the health sector.

Speaking at a press conference here, he said though the PTI government had announced the so-called ‘health emergency’ in the province, the steps it was taking were creating problems for the people. Dr Javed Sattar, Dr Shafiq and Dr Umar of the Private Medical Colleges Association Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were also present on the occasion. Sikandar Sherpao said that the absence of a proper induction policy for the trainee medical officers (TMOs) had created unrest among the doctors.

He explained there were 1,367 applicants for 510 slots in different hospitals of the province, but they could not be accommodated in the eight medical colleges, which had caused resentment among the doctors. “At a time when we need more doctors to provide health facilities to the people the government is depriving the doctors of appearing in the Fellow of College of Physicians and Surgeons (FCPS) Part-II examination to do specialisation,” the QWP leader added.

He said the PTI government lacked the vision and the expertise to serve the people and it was causing problems to the people. Sikandar Sherpao said the government was taking haphazard decisions, which added to the problems of the doctors’ community. He said his party would not leave the doctors in the lurch and would stand by them besides raising their genuine issues at all forums.

The QWP leader said the government should have taken steps to strengthen the hospitals at the divisional and district level to provide healthcare facilities to the people in the far-flung and rural areas.

He asked the government to come up with a proper strategy and procedure to remove the prevailing unrest among the doctors, who wanted to become specialists in various specialities.

“The government cannot absolve itself of its responsibility by blaming others for its failures,” he added.