QUETTA: Upon successful negotiations with the government, the Young Doctors Association (YDA) of Balochistan announced ending their strike and vowed to resume duties at hospitals across the province.
The decision was taken after provincial ministers assured the protesting doctors that all their concerns will be addressed soon, Dr. Yasir Achakzai, president of the association, said while talking to the media. “We are pleased to announce that we are returning to our duties straightaway,” he said.
Dr. Achakzai, in tonight’s media interaction, said that the protesting doctors were raising legitimate demands, but failed to get the attention of the authorities concerned.
“Frontline soldiers [fighting against coronavirus] are not being provided facilities, which is also putting the lives of their families at risk,” he complained.
Provincial minister Zakarik Achakzai, speaking on the occasion, said: “Doctors play a leading role worldwide, including in Pakistan [in the war against COVID-19]”.
He said everyone has the right to raise their voice in democracies. The tragic incident should not have happened in the first place, he said, adding that Chief Minister Jam Kamal Khan took notice of the situation at the right time to avert the situation from deteriorating any further.
“We have assured doctors that there will be an inquiry against the perpetrators. Their demands are legitimate because doctors are on the frontline [in this war],” Zamrak Achakzai said.
Dr Achakzai said doctors are suffering from coronavirus. “The whole world knows about it, but we are yet to receive personal protection equipment (PPE),” he maintained.
The YDA president further said that the government has assured them of resolving their issues. “Only by trusting the government’s committee and considering the difficulties of the people, we have decided to end our strike,” he said.
