By Dr. Abdul Razak Shaikh,
From today the again different organization has announced to boycott the OPD, Operation theaters and wards for an indefinite period in the whole province. Today was the First day of the strike and definitely, poor people are suffering from the act and Doctors Community knows this difficulty but due to miscommunication with the Health Department, this situation has been caused.
On Monday Chief Ministers’ Media Consultant issued statement that CM Sindh has given the instruction to Chief Secretary for sending proper proposal to increase the Salary package of Doctors as done in Punjab for further approval before next Sindh Cabinet meeting.
Health is the basic right of the people of the province and state responsible for the provision of quality basic Health care, which is accessible, affordable and acceptable.
In Pakistan allowances of Doctors are not same and Sindh is the only province, whose Doctors are getting very less amount of salary and allowances.
Doctors working in the remote area are facing very difficulties in the mean of the residential area and other issues causing to leave the rural areas of the province. The incentives are very low and facilities to the public are not better even supply of medicine for poor patients. Doctors of Health department raising their issues from time to time but department role remains negative towards this noble profession.
On 31st March 2018, The Honourable Supreme Court of Pakistan passed the orders in the Petition of DR. MUHAMMAD USMAN MAKO to remove the grievances of Doctors. The Service Structure of doctors should be on basis of Time scale, the doctors of Sindh should be given pay and Health professional allowance in the same as other provinces. The contract Doctors working for the last four years must be regularized.
Implementation of orders of the Honourable court Dated.30th August 2017 regarding Proforma promotion of those Doctors retiring on 7th August 2015 till the date of Board I and Board II.
In a view of orders of Honourable Supreme court, The chief secretary Sindh has constituted the committee, Dated:12th April 2018 under the Chairmanship of Additional Secretary ( Admin) Health for various financial Benefits to Doctors of Health department but Still, no result found. The Doctors demand regarding financial benefit as like in other provinces.
Doctor’s old demand is to provide the TIME SCALE promotion as done in the education department but the health department is reluctant. Hundreds of Doctors retiring in BPS-18 and BPS-19 after performing their service for more than 25 years but they are not reaching till BPS-20, Whereas other cadre getting BPS-20 after 17 years of their services. This time again Health department refusing Time Scale promotion, whereas Honourable Supreme Court has passed an order.
Contract doctors are under the process of regularizing after passing the Regularization Act-2018 from Sindh Assembly but still, notification has been not issued.
As for as Proforma promotion of Doctors still Board I have not decided, Board II has partially done and still major Portion is pending.
Departmental Promotion Committee (DPC) for Promotion of Doctors from BPS-17 to BPS-18 is still laying waiting and date has been not fixed. More than 2000 posts of Senior Medical Officers are vacant.
Near an about 700 Seats are vacant for promotion in BPS-19 for Board II but the department failed to submit the working paper.
Many issues are pending time to time in the health department but even they are not ready to comply with the orders of Honourable Supreme Court.
Doctors are too much worried about their promotion, Allowances, and other incentives but health department taking a very soft role.
These issues are causing unrest among Doctor Community and then their choice to go for Strike. PPP government always remains to help the Doctors but this bureaucracy wants to fail this government. Honorable Minister Health must look at the issues and Doctors community must get in confidence.
As the Chief Minister Sindh has announced the salary package proposal for submission before the next Sindh cabinet, we must accept the assurance of CM Sindh and withdraw the call of the Strike. We now consider poor people those are coming from a very long distance and going back without Doctors treatment.