Ongoing doctors’ strike defers 5500 operations in Lahore

LAHORE: Amidst the ongoing doctors’ strike, around 5500 operations were postponed in the city’s major public sector hospitals, as stated by the Young Doctors Association (YDA), Punjab General Secretary, Dr Nadir.

Unfortunately, around 40,000 patients attending the OPDs of the city’s hospitals had been suffering since the start of the strike, noted Dr Nadir.

In response to a question, he said that emergency operations were, however, being conducted and patients in critical condition being operated upon without any hurdles. On the other hand, the Punjab Chief Minister has formed a committee to talk to the doctors about their issues and reservations.

The committee consists of the Vice-Chancellors of the King Edward Medical University and Fatima Jinnah Medical University, Prof Khalid Masood Gondal and Dr Amir Zaman, and the Principal of the Services Institute of Medical Sciences, Prof Ayaz Mehmood. The committee recently held a meeting with the office-bearers of the Grand Health Alliance; however, no progress was made.

Meanwhile, patients talking to the media said that doctors should not go on strike in government-run hospitals as the poor and needy patients have no other facility to turn to for treatment except for the public sector hospitals.