GDA ready to talk with Young Doctors:Dr Masood sheikh

Lahore: The GCDA negotiation with YDA is expected to take a positive turn, progress has been made towards adopting an acceptable way to resolve their issues. GCDA has been negotiating with the professors, medical superintendents, and principals of different medical colleges, for a practical solution of these issues. The matter can be settled, if one go solution fails then it should be step by step, these view were expressed by General Cadre Doctors Association president Dr Masood Akhtar sheikh while addressing the provincial council meeting held on the issue of doctors hunger strike .

Dr Masood sheikh said that GCDA has formulated a dispute resolution committee under the chairman ship of dr Aslam Hameed, with dr Masood Akhtar sheikh, dr Haq Nawaz Bharwana , dr Rana Rafique, Dr Arif Iftikhar, Dr Muhammad Arif, Dr Amir Nazeer, Dr Asim farooqui, dr Ejaz Warriach, dr Khawja Mahboob, Dr Farrukh, Dr Shazia and dr Alia amongst its other members. He explained that the negotiation team has been doing frequent meetings with YDA. the detailed discussions has been held on different issue including Gujranwala incidence, terminations and transfers in different hospitals, the issue of service structure, and the provision of medicine and free test at different government run institutes, of Punjab.

The recent negotiation were held by GCDA president Dr Masood Akhtar sheikh along with dr Haq Nawaz Bharwana, and dr Haris. GCDA has proposed that there should be harmony amongst different cadres and respects for the seniors doctors of the same professions. He further informed that with the mutual consents the cases at Gujranwala can be with drawn step by step. He said that the issue must not be politicized, as this is the conflict between the senior and junior doctors of different cadre. Dr Masood was of the views that a team comprising of senior general cadre doctors and representative of the YDA can work together to bring this issue to a respectable end. He informed that GCDA has made much progress for the solution of this issue at all level, including departmental, political, senior doctors and administrative level.

Regarding the issues of termination and transfer of the young doctors GCDA is of the view that the carrier of the young doctors must be saved and at the same time the respect and regards of the senior faculty members must also be maintained, he said that the issues has a short term and long term solutions, and unless the issues is solved on long term basis, any attempt to focus on short term may result in failure of the negotiations. He disclosed that there have been some reservations between the young doctors and the hospital administration and teaching faculty. some of the professors have shown strong concerns and this must also be addressee to bring amicable solution of the problem.

The issue regarding the supply of medicines Dr Masood sheikh said that this government has been providing all medicines in emergency department, and most of the treatment in indoors is free, regarding the OPD the medicines available in the hospital formulary are available for poor patients free of cost, while many of the test are also offered to them. He said that we are also in favor of betterment of these services, and he suggested that the improvement should be through suggestion forwarded through different doctor’s organization, including GCDA, YDA and others. Dr Masood sheikh pointed out that a high level meeting was convened and mediated through GCDA in Sir Ganga Ram hospital Lahore , on the night before the inauguration of metro bus services. The meeting lasted for 6 hours from 9.30 pm to around 4.15 am in the morning, in which the leadership of YDA including Dr Amir Bandesha, Dr Nasir Abbas, and others were present, along with GCDA president Dr Masood Akhtar Sheikh, Dr Haq Nawaz Bharwana and others . the Government authorities including Special assistant to the chief minister on health Khawja Salman Rafique, Special secretary health Babar Tarrar, additional secretary health Asfand yar, Director general health service Punjab Dr Nisar Ahmed cheema, other were present, which shows a positive attitude towards problem solving. Dr Haq Nawaz Bharwana said that the service structure has been jointly achieved, and it is the time that we all focus on its in time implementation, many of the points have been implemented, and rest needs to be speed up. He requested the YDA leadership to sole the issue amicable in a large interest of the nation, and hoped that the stance of YDA is quite Flexible now, and we hope that a workable solution will be. The provincial council meeting was also addressed by Dr rana Rafique, dr Arif Iftikhar, dr Ejaz Warriach, dr Asim Hameed, dr Amir Nazeer, dr Humaira, dr Alia, dr Shazia, dr Fauzia, dr Shahid, dr Imran dr hairs and other.