ISLAMABAD - The employees of Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) including doctors resorted to protest on Monday against the expected appointment of Dr Riaz Warraich from Mayo hospital, Lahore, as Executive Director Pims.
The employees started their symbolic protest in the morning that continued for two hours and, according to them, it will remain continue until the government takes back its decision of the appointment of the official form outside the hospital strength as ED.
President Young Doctors Association, Islamabad, Dr Asfandyar Khan addressing the gathering said the employees will not allow Dr Warraich to enter the premises of the hospital and lock the administration and ED office and go on to complete strike from that moment, paralysing the whole system of Pims except its emergency services.
President of Joint Action Committee Manzar Abbas Naqvi was of the view that if the government wants to appoint new ED, it can appoint any senior official from the hospital strength or the post can be advertised and anyone who meets the criterion can be appointed on merit but the government is bent upon to appoint a blue-eyed official from Lahore just to grab money from mega projects of PIMS.
The protesters remained peaceful and the healthcare services were not disturbed by the employees. According to information, though, the Ministry of Capital Administration and Development has moved a summary for the appointment of Dr. Warraich as ED PIMS to Prime Minister Secretariat but it may take some time and the reaction of the employees and other bureaucratic hurdles may delay the appointment for a couple of days.
About 4500 patients from all over the country and adjacent areas visit the hospital daily for healthcare facilities who will badly suffer if the employees go on strike and if any breakout of dengue occurs due to monsoon season, the situation may turn worst.