Patients demand end to doctors strike in Quetta

QUETTA: Provision of medical aid has come to a complete halt in all public sectors hospitals in the provincial capital as the doctors are on strike following killing of Pakistan Medical Association Balochistan chapter president Dr. Mazar Khan Baloch some two weeks ago.

The doctors have stopped performing their duty at Outdoor Patients and Emergencies Departments of the government hospitals in protest against the incident causing severe problems for the patients who travel to the provincial capital from other parts of the province after incurring heavy expenditure.

"Doctors are not performing their duty at the government hospitals compelling the patents to visit their private clinics for medical checkup after paying exorbitant fees," Mohammad Ali, a patient at Civil Hospital said. If the doctors indeed want to get arrested the real culprits involved in murder of their colleague they should also stop their private practice in protest.

Going on strike at the government hospitals in the name of protest has increased a number of patients at their private clinics," he said and added why then should not they prolong their protest? He and other patients present at the hospital urged the Chief Minister Balochistan, Chief Secretary and Provincial Health Secretary to look into the matter in view of inconvenience of the patients.