KARACHI:Chairman, Sindh Health Alliance (SHA), Dr Mirza Ali Azhar has strongly criticized the doctors and other medical staff for closing hospitals across Sindh for a week and blackmailing the Sindh government.
He shared these views during a press conference held at PMA House Karachi here on Monday. Dr Muhammad Ali Thalho, Dr Abdul Ghafoor Shoro, Abdul Razaque Sheikh, Dr Ghulam Mujtaba Memon, Dr Qalb e Hussain, Dr Imtiaz Ahmed Jogro and others were also present on this occasion.
Dr Mirza Ali Azhar informed that a group of doctors used the name of Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) and misled masses at the same time besides blackmailing the Sindh government by closing all healthcare facilities in the name of doctors demands. He said SHA believed that this was a cruel way of going for demands at the expense of poor patients. The SHA doctors believed in peaceful struggle and dialogue to settle the issues.
“On the other hand, we think the attitude of every government remains very suspicious in this regards. The government is bound to listen and act to solve the problems to avert any mishap, loss of life or for that matter suffering of poor patients. But it is observed that initially they are very arrogant and unwilling to listen, but after great deal of unrest and patients suffering, some of loss of precious lives then ultimately they come to negotiations an accept the demands. Is there any wisdom in this behaviour?” he quested.
He said aim of making this alliance is to provide an intellectual guidance to our doctors and healthcare workers. He said there is lot of issues which will create problem in coming days. The biggest issue for which the doctors fraternity is very worried about is Pakistan Medical Commission (PMC) which came into being after dissolution of Pakistan Medical and Dental Council.
It is the matter of debate that how this commission will be able to solve the issue of doctors registration, medical education and training, particularly private medical colleges etc. At the same time Sindh government contemplating to bring a new bill the name of Sindh Medical and Dental Council (SMDC).The SHC will have to see how this law will be reviewed and received by the medical fraternity and what will the consequences of having two laws at a time.
Dr Mirza Ali Azhar has also showed concern over poor state of affair of Sindh Health Care Commission (SHCC) and said some official of SHCC has found involve in harassment of doctors and other malpractices. He said SHCC has failed to register hospitals, issue licenses to health facilities and controlling quackery in the province.
The doctors under the banner of Sindh Health Alliance has presented charter of demands which include time scale incentives, service structure of doctors 04 tier, implementation of yearly promotions as already approved by CM Sindh in 1994, regularization of doctors, regular yearly promotions of doctors, establishment of separate medico-legal directorate and hiring of doctors on sanctions posts.