LAHORE - After successful negotiations with Advisor to Chief Minister on Health Kh Salman Rafiq and recently appointed member Board of Management Kh Ahmed Hasan, Punjab Paramedics Alliance (PPA) and Allied Health Professionals Association (AHPA) on Tuesday called off strike and announced to resume duties at OPD of Punjab Institute of Cardiology (PIC) from today.
Paramedics’ strike at OPD continued for eight days that created huge hardships for patients visiting for regular check up and free medicine not only from Lahore but also from various other cities.
Kh Salman and Kh Ahmed Hasan held series of negotiations with PPA and AHPA leaders including Malik Munir, Khalid Mehmood, Shoaib Anwar, Ahmed Baloch and Hafiz Dilawar Hussain. On assurance from the government regarding regularisation of service of ad hoc employees after constitution of BoM and serious consideration of other demands, PPA and AHPA announced to call off strike that continued for eight days. President PPA PIC chapter Hafiz Dilawar Hussain appealed paramedics to resume duties at OPD from Wednesday (today).
Talking to media after inaugurating special immunization campaign at Garhi Shahu Dispensary, Kh Salman Rafiq said that the government was paying special attention to primary healthcare for reducing burden on tertiary care hospitals.
He added that this would ensure provision of healthcare facilities to the masses at doorsteps. Jamia Naeemia Administrator Maulana Ragib Naeemi, Director Health (EPI) Dr Munir Ahmed, EDO Health Lahore Dr Zulfiqar Ali, DOH Lahore Dr Naseer Akhtar and other officers of Health department were also present. Maulana Ragib Naeemi said that Islam stresses upon saving human lives. He said that it is the religious duty of parents to protect the health of their children. He appealed to the parents to benefit from the immunization campaign against nine diseases.