Shehbaz Sharif's Villainy & Young Doctors' Fight for Right
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Introduction:
Currently,
there is a lot of talk over the young doctors of Punjab, who have been on a
strike for several days, demanding the implementation of a proper service structure
for their profession. These strikes have been exploited by the Punjab
government, in collaboration with the media of Pakistan, to create a nationwide
negative image of the doctors and their profession. Owing to the media’s manipulated
and twisted depiction of the situation, the people have begun to see doctors as
inhumane beings that care for money alone and not for their patients’ precious
lives.
The
demands of the doctors are not only just; but are also supposed to benefit the health
system and the patients. The Chief Minister, being a hypocrite, has turned away
from the promises he made last year; and teamed up with the media to create propaganda
against the doctors.
In this post, we will explain
this issue from an unbiased and realistic point of view, explaining all the
facts that the media purposefully twists or omits, to give the readers an
insight into what REALLY is happening; summing up the discussion with some
interesting facts that curiously evade the eyes of the media.
(PLEASE NOTE:
Whatever we have stated about the government hospitals in this article
is what we saw with our own eyes; provided we belong to Nishtar
Hospital. Further details about any of the point regarding the
government hospitals will be happily made available)
Topics:
1. The background of doctors' strikes
a. The strike of March 2011
b. The strike of June-July 2012
2. The Government's Violent Response
3. The role of media - a whore for money
4. Some truths that everybody should know
5. The CM's "Revolutionary" steps for Health Department
6. The Absolute Verdict
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THE
BACKGROUND OF DOCTORS’ STRIKES:
1.
The Strike
of March 2011:
The public tends to view the
doctors as “messiah” – the saviours; however it must be noted that the doctors
are also humans and require an appropriate pay to fulfill their needs. Until
last year, the doctors had but a meager pay of Rs. 18,000 (Please note that this
was the pay of YOUNG recruited doctors; not the senior doctors).
Owing to this, the young doctors of
Punjab went on a strike last March, demanding a pay raise along with the
implementation of a service structure. The following table highlights the main
points behind the demand of the doctors:
Back
then, the government of Punjab showed an extremely rigid attitude, but after a tireless
effort by the young doctors, agreed to fulfill their demands. The pay of young recruited doctors was
raised to Rs. 24,000 for House Officers and around Rs. 40,000 for PGRs. The
government promised to make arrangements for a service structure in the
following budget.
(NOTE: Service
2.
The Strike of June-July 2012:
As mentioned, the government had promised to implement a service structure for
doctors in the upcoming budget, but when the time came; they broke their
promise (as was expected from them)
The doctors went on a PEACEFUL STRIKE wearing black
ribbons on their arms for 2 weeks, during which the government paid no
heed.
In
countries with an educated government, a peaceful protest by the cream of the
nation is enough to provoke a negotiation (e.g. the strikes of Germany this
year, in which the doctors wore black ribbons for 2 hours; provoking a
favourable response from the government)
Unfortunately, the government of Punjab isn’t
good at all, and as a result, the
doctors were forced to take measures like closing down the Out-patient Department. (This doesn’t mean that the patients were
left to die; they were simply referred to the emergency or indoors; and were
treated as needed. The operation theatres were functional as well)
THE GOVERNMENT’S VIOLENT RESPONSE:
On 1st of July, as the doctors
of YDA sat for a meeting at Services Hospital Lahore - prior to a scheduled
press conference - they were brutally attacked Punjab police. Punjab police
started to arrest doctors as if they were terrorists, raiding the hostels and torturing
the detained. This all occurred before the doctors could even officially
announce the results of their meeting.
The following morning, the hospitals were teeming
with policemen, arresting many doctors and threatening them; after which the hospitals’ emergencies had to be shut
down; the young doctors could not work in a hostile environment where they
would be arrested on sight.
 |
| Dr. Nadeem placed on ventilator |
Dr. Nadeem, a YDA representative from
Gangaram was brutally tortured, suffering a paralysis of the right side, and
has been on a ventilator since.
Dr. Usman Zafar was also tortured and moved
to an unknown location; his status is currently unknown.
Both of the legs of Dr. Aamir were broken
along with a spinal injury.
Even the homes of the doctors were raided. The
2-years old daughter of Dr. Mazhar, a YDA representative from Multan, was taken
from her home; and was returned on the condition that Dr. Mazhar would offer
his own arrest.
The lady doctors were humiliated by being
forced out of their hostels at 2 a.m. in the night; with nowhere to go for
shelter.
Right now; more than 350 doctors are
under detention and are facing torture.
 |
| Dr. Usman Dar's son in a silent protest to release the captive doctors and roll back the false accusations |
THE ROLE OF MEDIA – A WHORE FOR MONEY:
Throughout the strike, the print and electronic media, being
heavily paid by the government, played a FILTHY and DISGUSTING role. The print
media and TV channels showed ads full of lies in order to provoke the people
into hating the doctors.
An inside report tells
that Rs. 1.6 million per day was spent wasted each day
for huge ads against the doctors in newspapers; and 450 million for ads
in TV channels. These resources could have been used in a better way.
The entire blame for the natural deaths of the patients was
put on the doctors. The media tried to show that the doctors are striking for
payraise; while infact they were only demanding a service structure that was
already promised to them.
The media is quick to attribute the dozen natural deaths to
the doctors; but it does not mention the
pitiable health facilities provided by the government (that we mention below); nor does it pay
attention to trivial issues conditions e.g. each day 1132 people die due to
poverty; WHY doesn’t the government get blamed for that??
The media of Pakistan has been notorious for
false propagandas.
Have
all the people forgotten the planted interview of Malik Riaz, the false reports
on Ajmal Qasab, the false reports on Osama Bin Laden and many more?
What a
shame; even forwarded text messages find
their way into the news (as we proved in our article here: http://absoluteverdict.blogspot.com/2011/10/exposing-pakistani-media-exclusive-look.html)
SOME TRUTHS THAT EVERYBODY SHOULD
KNOW:
1.
During
the strike, no patient died at the hands of the doctors! When the OPDs were
shut down, the patients were admitted through Emergency Dept. and the Operation
Theatres remained functional.
2.
The
doctors demanded a service structure that was promised to them; they did NOT ask for a pay raise as was
portrayed in the Government’s print ads.
3.
The pay
of the young doctors is NOT over Rs. 70,000 as the Government’s ads stated.
This pay is achieved when the doctors come to the level of Asst. Professor
after 20 years of service. The pay of the young recruited doctors is Rs. 24000. The salary of grade 17 doctors is 42000 to
44000 per month with all the allowances, and the salary of grade 18
doctors is 52000 to 54000 which is contrary to the claims to the Punjab
Government who have presented false figures regarding the salaries of
the doctors in media. According to the government the salary of the
grade 17 doctors is form 60000 to 76000 and grade 18 doctors is 61000 to
1,36000.
 |
| Payslip of a grade 18 doctor |
4.
The
natural deaths in the hospitals were attributed to the young doctors. The
media did not state the causes of death in any of the patients. In Pakistan, a
huge number of patients turn up in the hospitals only at the terminal stages of
their illness, due to which natural deaths upto the number stated are not
uncommon.
5.
Reports
stating that doctors purposefully killed patients (e.g. a child with a drip)
have also been proven to be false. (http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=415971275110938)
THE CM’s “REVOLUTIONARY” STEPS FOR
THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT:
After the above discussion, it also seems
appropriate to shed some light on the actual progress of the health dept. ,
something that curiously evades the media.
1.
The current budget allows only 1.3% of the total to the health
department; which is lower than most of the developing nations. According to this budget, each individual
in Punjab receives only Rs. 120 for his hospital expenses.
2.
The medicines provided in the government
hospitals are of EXTREMELY POOR QUALITY and POTENCY and come from infamous
firms. These medicines are not available in any market and are supplied only to
these hospitals. According to a report, the nameless firms making these
medicines belong to one of the acquaintances of the Health Secretary (Details
available on request). The government
doctors are forced to violate the rules and ask the patients to buy medicines
from the pharmacy stores for their own safety.
Ironically,
the media has also not shown anything about the real culprits of the recent deaths
that occurred in Punjab Institute of Cardiology due to substandard medicine.
3. The CT Scan, MRI, X-Ray and OT equipment in
the government hospitals are mostly out of order, and when functional, of poor
quality.
4. The CM has not appointed a Health Minister
throughout his 5 year term. A field as broad as health deserves a dedicated
ministry, preferably led by a doctor, rather than a mental patient like himself
who owns 18 ministries to his name.
THE
ABSOLUTE VERDICT:
The above discussion makes it clear – the doctors are just
in their demands. The culprit to blame is the Chief Minister of Punjab, who
took extreme, violent and criminal measures for a cause that was easily
negotiable; endangering thousands of lives, wasting millions of Rupees in
fooling the nation and living upto his reputation as an enemy of the health
department.
Calling the army for aid will not help; 150 army doctors can
not possibly take the place of the thousands of young doctors. Negotiation is a necessity to solve a situation like this.
If you don't even have the sense to negotiate, you do not even deserve to be called a leader!!
We would really like to question: “Khadim-e-aala” or “Kaatil-e-aala”????
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7 comments:
I was searching for a true picture from the day this controversy started and still I've found none. Doctors might be right if they had done their homework properly. They could have shown the other side of the picture if they simply had presented their point of view using media. i.e. through adds in news paper, commercial and by issuing warnings that if the demands are not fullfilled they aould strike against government.REMEMBER NO one is going to believe the truth that is spoken harshly!Doctors are continuously claiming the role of media that have been captivated by the government as its own personal mouth piece.It simply is not the way the things are done. Doctors or media; both are the pillars of the society and work for the society on the whole but let me say neither the media nor the doctors are sincere with their society but to the money they earn! Absolute Verdict: DOCTO-MEDIA controversy is nothing but a slap on the image of PAKISTAN!!
@Rabiya Hayat
Ads in newspapers or TV channels are VERY expensive; the doctors can not clarify themselves through ads as they don't have the budget. The government has unlimited supply of money that comes from our taxes; they have ben giving king-size ads but doctors can not.
Moreover, the media interviewers come to the doctors, take their statements but they do not air them on the channels :( The doctors were helpless in this regard, they could only watch and do nothing to clarify themselves!
As for the mode of strike, the doctors went on a peaceful strike for over a week (black ribbons) and no one took notice. This isn't Germany where a two hour strike with black ribbons coming from the nation's cream was enough to stir them. This is Pakistan where the government never listens to the people's need :(
As we stated, even after the OPD was closed following the peaceful strike, the same patients were still being checked indoors and in emergency. There was no loss of lives owing to the doctors. The media in fact just attributed the natural deaths to the doctors, cleverly taking advantage of the situation. :(
I certainly have no idea that organizations like YDMA do/don't have funds for such activities but the least they can do was to call a press conference before going on strike. They should have presented their demands infront of media instead of public or the government. The media would have not been hijacked then. Therecan be a thousand ways of using mmedia for presenting your issue. [just a little intelligence was required from the cream of the nation]
Yeah I do agree that this isn't Germany,if it was there would be no deaths due to hunger, poverty etc.There would be no jobless indiduals committing suicides! you people are lucky enough at least you have got a job to raise your families. Presence or the absence of structure doesn't justify whatever you have done!
You are not the only one whose rights are not being given by the government. There are hundreds and thousands of us.
I have the first hand knowledge about emergencies, opds etc. There were no doctors present there in Lahore!
There is a solution to every problem, but if you don't understand the root cause you will never ever be able to solve the issue. That's what you and media is doing.
Well Rabiya
I think that if doctors have no proper budget, they most probably are not in such state to call a press conference obviously. its common sense :D
Shahbaz Sharif is well known dictator in civil clothes.They is real robbers and vagabonds. Actually Doctors work hard but due to no infrastructure many of them leave country. It is farcical. if you give them what they deserve ,strike never occur. I appreciate they should not do strike but no one listen. I myself worked in 2000 free of cost for many months & then left the country because helping humanity for nothing doesn’t fill your pocket or stomach. The way Shahbaz Sharif is behaving now is their actual picture. I hope & pray Allah help us get rid of these bad leaders. it can only happen if people become determined that they want to get rid of these people. Doctors are the highly educated peoples of Pakistan, they are the cream of nation, but the attitude shown by Punjab Govt towards doctor’s community is brutal and barbaric, we all condemn it. We must respect our educated people or otherwise in next few years we will not find any educated person in Pakistan especially doctors. Doctor’s demands are just right; Punjab Govt can fulfill it but cm just for his ego playing with people of Punjab shame on Govt for this act, another black day in Pakistan history shame cm khadim-e-ala, and wake up until its too late.
@Rabiya Hayat; as said earlier, the media has never showed the doctors viewpoints as they were most probably bribed; they recorded several interviews but never aired them. There is no other way the docotrs could speak to the public. The government made sure of that.
As for first hand information, you mention of the emergencies; that means you visited the hospital after the government raided and arrested the doctors from their hostels, homes and emergencies. There were orders for arrest-on-sight for many doctors; so obviously they couldn't work in emergencies.
We have first hand info too; we belong to Nishtar Hospital and even when the doctors were on strike, there were always alternate arrangements for the patients, everyone was checked and treated.
@Anonymous; I totally agree with you. It makes me sad to see that so many doctors who've always wished to serve the nation leaving Pakistan just because of the government's stiff-neck!
I hope our prayers are answered and that we get rid of our corrupt leaders...
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