QUETTA - Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) Balochistan chapter continued its strike on 24th consecutive day on Friday though the kidnapped psychiatrist, Dr Ghulam Rasool Kakar, was released.
The Out Patient Departments (OPDs) of all main hospitals of the provincial capital, including Helper’s Hospital, Bolan Medical College Teaching Hospital, Fatima Jinnah TB Sanatorium and Sandeman Hospital wore a deserted look, as no doctor was present to provide medical assistance to patients. However, the doctors attended the patients at emergency wards.
Owing to the doctor three weeks-long strike at government hospitals, the difficulties of general public and poor patients have increased manifold causing huge problems for them. Over 90 per cent of the population turns to the government hospitals for medical aid. PMA Balochistan has warned that it would continue its protest until its demands are not met including reimbursement of ransom amount from government kitty paid for recovery of abducted doctors, security to all doctors inside and outside the hospitals, arrest of kidnappers of Dr Ghulam Rasool and Dr Deen Muhammad Baloch and of those involved in targeted killing of doctors in the province.