Patients suffer as YDA boycotts OPDs in Balochistan
Syed Ali Shah :
QUETTA: Patients suffered as the Young Doctors Association (YDA) Balochistan observed a boycott of OPDs across the province on Friday. The YDA has accused the provincial government of privatizing government-run hospitals under the garb of health cards.
Patients remained the worst sufferers of doctor strike in Quetta and other parts of Balochistan. “I have been waiting for a doctor since morning”, Rehmatullah Khan, a resident of Pishin told Quetta Voice. Mr. Khan had brought his teenage ailing daughter to Quetta’s civil hospital.
The YDA activists however lashed out at the Balochistan government for what they call its failure to improve health facilities in hospitals. “Rulers are least bothered about the plight of government-run hospitals”, Dr. Rahim Khan Babar, an office-bearer of the YDA claimed.
Doctors across Balochistan observe boycott of OPDs
The doctors also observed a boycott of government-run hospitals in all district headquarters of the province. So far the provincial government has not contacted the protesting doctors for resolution of their issues.
“Doctors would resist the privatization process of hospitals”, Dr. Babar said. He however stated that the doctors realize the difficulties of the patients.
Patients criticize doctors and the government
Although, the patients and their attendants criticized the protesting doctors and provincial government. “Doctors should not punish us for the wrongdoing of rulers”, Muhammad Ali, a patient from Quetta’s Marriabad said. Mr. Ali said the doctors must feel the pain of the patients and end the boycott. Like Ali, other patients were also demanding of the doctors to realize the difficulties of the patients.
Scores of patients were sitting outside the civil hospital’s OPD while waiting for the doctors. Moreover, they went back to their homes in frustration as no doctor turned up to treat the patients.
