By Dr Abdul Razak Shaikh,
On Monday Chief Ministers’ Media Consultant issued Statement that CM Sindh has given the instruction to the Chief Secretary for sending proper proposal to increase the Allowances package for Doctors as done in Punjab for approval before next Sindh Cabinet meeting.
But Doctors community is insisting that without issuing notification they will not back from the strike now.
On 13th February 2019, the Health Department has written a letter to the Finance department and requested that summary may kindly send to Chief Minister of Sindh for early approval.
But the situation is going to be worst and today is 3rd day of Strike, Whereas summary was sent to the Finance Department on 4th February 2019.
On 30th January 2019, there was understanding in between Doctors representative and the Hon. Minister Health that issue of Allowances will be notified in a week but after passing the two weeks, still, no result was found.
The other main issues are still there in related to the decision of the Supreme Court of Pakistan.
Today is the third day of the boycott of OPD, Operation Theaters and wards for an indefinite period in the whole province. Poor people are suffering from this act and Doctors Community knows this difficulty but due to miscommunication with the Health Department, this situation has been caused again.
In other provinces allowances of Doctors are much better and Sindh is the only province, whose Doctors are getting very less amount of Health Professional Allowance (HPA) and other benefits.
Doctors working in the remote area are facing very difficulties in the mean of the accommodation 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.
Contract doctors are under the process for regularizing after passing the Regularization Act-2018 from Sindh Assembly but still, notification has been not issued.
Near an about 700 Seats are vacant for promotion in BPS-19 for
Board II but the department failed to submit the working paper.
As for as Proforma promotion, still Board I has 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.
Many issues are pending time to time in the health department but even they are not ready to implement the orders of Honourable Supreme Court.
Doctors are too much worried about their promotion, Allowances and other incentives but the health department has played a very negative role.
These issues are causing unrest among Doctors Community and then their choice to go for Strike.
PPP government always remains to help the Doctors community but bureaucracy wants to fail. Honourable Minister Health must look at the issues and Doctors representative must get in confidence.
As the Chief Minister Sindh has announced that Doctors allowances package will be approved in next Sindh cabinet meeting, my suggestion is that Honourable CM Sindh may personally meet Doctors representative in the presence of Secretary Health and finance and solve the matter instantly.
Doctor’s representative may kindly withdraw the Strike. So the poor people those are coming from a very long distance can get treatment from public sector Hospitals.
