The Grand Health Alliance (GHA) held a press conference on Thursday at the National Institute of Child Health to bring their plight during the Covid-19 pandemic to the government’s notice. They also presented a 13-point agenda of their demands. The Grand Health Alliance includes the Young Doctors Association, Young Nurses Association, Pakistan Medical Association and paramedics. “We have protested many times and presented our demands to the government,” said General Secretary YDA Sindh Dr Mehboob. “The Sindh government is making false claims. Ventilators are not available in hospitals. The easing of the lockdown will affect more doctors as well as the general public.” Dr Mehboob of GHA has presented 13-point demands to the Sindh government and has threatened to observe token strike across the province from June 8 in case of failure to meet their demands. Health risk allowance should be given immediately to all health workers working during the pandemic, he said. Several health workers who were exposed to the novel coronavirus are in isolation at home with their families. YDA Chairperson Dr Omar Sultan is also in isolation at home after being infected, said Dr Mehmoob. A Shuhuda package should be announced for the families of the health workers who died while on duty. Separate isolation centres should be established for health workers who have contracted Covid-19 in Sindh, Dr Mehboob continued. Security for health workers should be increased in hospitals. Many incidents of attendants attacking doctors and vandalising hospitals and healthcare facilities have been reported across Sindh recently. A service structure for all health workers should be developed, the general secretary added. Dr Muhammad Khan Shar of PMA Sindh said that doctors are being sent to the battlefield unarmed. “They are not given N-95 masks. Dozens of patients are being exposed to the virus through just one affected doctor.” Dr Shar demanded safety kits be given to health workers and the government focus on equipping public hospitals first. “Why is funding being given to Indus Hospital instead of government hospitals?” Nurses are not receiving their health professional allowance, said the YNA head. More than 1,500 paramedics have also been affected by Covid-19, said DrAkhlaq Ahmed, representative of the paramedics.
