KPK doctors demand protection & security‏

The Provincial Doctors Association in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa recently held a press conference at the Peshawar Press Club. They raised the issue of ensuring personal protection and security for the Doctors throughout the Province. They also condemned the Abolishment of Postgraduate Medical Institute (PGMI) Peshawar. The spokesperson warned that if their demands are not met by Tuesday, November 26, 2013, serious protest activities will begin at the healthcare facilities. It was stated that;

1. There will be boycott of hospital OPDs and the patients at Hayatababd Medical Complex will be moved to Tented-OPDs on the hospital lawns.

2. The association will ensure closure of Private Practice in Dabgari Garden of Peshawar.

3. On Friday, November 29, 2013 the OPDs of North West General Hospital in Peshawar will be closed.

4. If needed, the association will further intensify the protests, with a step by step strategy.

It was also stated that; the abolishment of PGMI will prove to be disastrous for the Post Graduate Medical Training facilities in the Province, because PGMI is the only representing, monitoring and regulatory body of Post graduate Medical Training in the Province. With time, PGMI should be extended to more than one Dean along with separate sub-offices each for Medical and Surgical Specialties.

In future, the present building of PGMI may not be able to accommodate the expanding academic programmes and activities. Furthermore, Abolishment of PGMI will also lead to loss of transparency in the recruitment of Trainee Medical Officers. At PGMI, induction is purely based on Open Merit. Therefore, Provincial Doctors Association stands with PGMI and all possible efforts will be made to ensure the smooth functioning and progress of PGMI.