QUETTA: After receiving severe complaints about doctors reportedly receiving double salaries, the government of Balochistan took action against 74 male and female physicians who were on assignment to UN agencies in Balochistan and other provinces.
Bakht Muhammad Kakar, the health minister for Balochistan, made this revelation along with the identities of the participating physicians. Nine dental surgeons, thirty-six medical officers, and 29 female physicians are on the list; some of them are allegedly Young Doctors Association (YDA) members.
“The health department has decided to take legal action after identifying the issue and serving notices to these 74 doctors,” Mr. Kakar stated. He went on to say that the department has gathered proof of corruption and intends to bring formal complaints against the doctors in question.
To maintain transparency, the health department has also asked international organizations, such as the UN, for information about contract physicians.
The YDA objects to “retaliatory actions.”
The minister declared, “Doctors whose deputation periods have ended will be instructed to return to their parent departments.”
Noting that the activities of a select few have damaged the reputation of the medical profession, he emphasized that the government would not accept irregularities in the health sector.
“The sight of poor patients’ suffering is heartbreaking, and hospital closures are intolerable for them,” he said. According to Shahid Rind, a spokesman for the Balochistani government, the list of doctors involved exposed special interests that were detrimental to the healthcare sector.
Young physicians object to government policies.
In the meantime, in solidarity of the Grand Health Alliance (GHA) Balochistan, the Young Doctors Association Pakistan has declared a two-hour token strike at outpatient departments (OPDs) across the country starting today.
A full boycott of the OPD would start on Monday if the alleged harassment persisted, the YDA added, denouncing what it described as retaliatory moves against its members.
YDA Pakistan issued a statement denouncing the fabricated accusations made against the Young Doctors Association Balochistan office-bearers.
For the past four days, the GHA has been on strike, with all medical professionals and other hospital employees around the province skipping work in support of their demands.
Sheikh Zayed Hospital, Benazir Bhutto Shaheed Hospital, Sandeman Provincial Hospital Quetta, and Bolan Medical Complex Hospital Quetta are among the prominent hospitals that have suspended outpatient departments and elective surgery.
Mufti Mehmood Hospital Kuchlak, Fatima Jinnah Hospital Quetta, teaching hospitals in Khuzdar, Chaman, Turbat, and Qila Saifullah, as well as district headquarters hospitals, are among the other facilities impacted.