Privatisation plan: OPD in hospitals remain shut

LAHORE: On the call of Grand Health Alliance (GHA) Punjab, the Out-Patient Department (OPD) services were shut down on Saturday in all hospitals across Punjab against what they called police brutality against health professionals, who are peaceful protesting for their right of job security.

The patients, especially coming from far-off areas, were disappointed due to denial of treatment services in outdoor wards. Besides, it was also observed that the doctors also limited treatment services in indoor wards as well. The elective surgeries were also being postponed. Meanwhile, the Grand Health Alliance Punjab continued its protest demonstration and sit-in on 13th consecutive day in front of Punjab Assembly on Saturday, against government's decision to privatise public health facilities in the province. The health professionals including young doctors, nurses and paramedics are protesting against the proposed plan on outsourcing Basic Health Units (BHUs) and Rural Health Centers (RHCs) in primary and secondary health sector and Jinnah Hospital, Lahore, in tertiary care sector.

The President of All Pakistan Clerks Association (APCA) also participated in the protest and expressed solidarity with the protesters. The Grand Health Alliance's Chairman Dr Salman Haseeb, while talking to the media, said that the government has been depriving workers, whose salary is 35,000, of their jobs. The police has committed brutality against peaceful protesters and baton-charged and threw acid water on women and other protesters. Dr Salman Haseeb said that Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department (P&SHD) Secretary Nadia Saqib has worsened matters, who he believed, was misleading the Punjab Chief Minister. He alleged that she had been dismissing old employees and hiring new staff, and claiming that they giving jobs to the people. He announced that the strike and the sit-in will continue.

‘We will also hold a rally on Monday and may besiege either P&SHD, Specialized Healthcare and Medical Education Department or DG Health's office. We will give a big surprise on Monday,’ he said and warned the government if police tried to torture health professionals in any district, they will also shut down indoor services in hospitals as well.

He informed that the government was planning to outsource health facilities to contractors on Monday. "If situation deteriorated in hospitals in view of such development, then the entire responsibility will be on the government," he warned.