LAHORE - Paramedics continued strike at public sector hospitals across the province including the City on Saturday, causing huge inconvenience to the suffering humanity.
Dozens of paramedics took out a rally from Sir Ganga Ram Hospital and marched towards the Punjab Assembly to stage a sit during budget session. The Police forcibly stopped protesting paramedics from going to Faisal Chowk, causing them to stage a sit in outside the CCPO office that resulted into worst traffic chaos at Sharey Fatima Jinnah and adjoining roads. Highly charged participants chanted slogans against the government and in favour of their demands.  Paramedics closed down OPDs in the morning shift, denying treatment to visiting patients. 
Besides hampering provision of healthcare facilities at indoors, paramedics strike caused cancellation of hundreds of scheduled and emergency surgeries. However, Emergency, ICU and CCU continued to function as per normal routine.
Punjab Paramedics Alliance announced to continue strike till acceptance of demands including revised service structure, health professional allowance and regularization of ad hoc employees.
Chairman PPA Malik Munir said that the government was responsible for inconvenience to patients. He said that the paramedics had no other option except to go for strike and stage a sit in as the Health Department was not fulfilling legitimate demands.

IQTIDAR GILANI