Doctors hunger strike continues on 4th day

Lahore: Today is the 4th day since 110 young doctors from all over the Punjab have sworn in an oath not to eat/drink except plain water unto death or acceptance of the demands of patients’ welfare and rights. These volunteers have not eaten/drunk anything except plain water, have missed their 11th consecutive meal. On 2nd day of the Hunger Strike, 7 doctors collapsed/felt symptoms of dizziness, vertigo, decreased/impaired concentration and were managed by giving intravenous Dextrose water solutions because they denied from taking anything per oral. The level of blood sugar of those doctors was found to be less than 50mg/dl.

On 3rd day (Feb 6,2013), another 9 doctors collapsed with consistent low blood sugar, 5 of whom were rushed to the Services hospital Lahore emergency while others were managed at camp site. Total of 16 doctors remained on continuous intravenous support throughout the day because of consistently low blood sugar. Around 900 doctors from public hospitals of Lahore visited the camp and staged a sit-in in front of the Hunger Strike Camp. Dfferent trade and labor union delegates visited the camp too. Mr. Liaqat Baloch (leasder Jamaat Islami), Mr. Mehmood ur Rasheed (leader PTI) visited the hunger strike camp and fully endorsed the stance of YDA Punjab on demands of public ineterest.

On day 4 (Feb 7,2013) around 43 out of total 110 of the young doctors in hunger camp remained on continuous intravenous Dextrose infusions, while another 3 were hurried to the emergency departmet Services Hospital Lahore in life-threatening condition. They were resuscitated there and later shifted back to the camp because they refused to take meals or go home.

Pakistan Trade Union Defense Campaign (PTUDC, All Pakistan Paramedical Staff Federation delegate consisting of 40 members, members of ISF, MSM and IJT; and other student organizations also visited the camp and supported the rightful stance of hunger strikers.

Around 700 doctors from all hospitals of Lahore visited today again and staged a sit-in on Jail Road in support of their colleagues on hunger strike.

LATER at 7 PM, a candle light vigil was organized at Liberty Round-about Lahore by different students organizations, ISF, MSM, IJT, friends and families of the doctors as well as the patients participated. They placards read “Zalimo Jawaab do…Mareez ko ilaaj do” (All the tyrants should answer here for free healthacre to the patients).

Earlier this morning, Lahore High Court granted bail to the 7 young doctors booked in Gujranwala case citing that no evidence has been found by the investigation officer about the gravity of the incident, and that case may be pursued further soon. The honorable judge DID NOT ask doctors to apologise from the complainant.