Doctors and paramedics staff at Karachi’s National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases announced a strike Saturday and protested outside the hospital.
The demonstrators held placards outside the institute and chanted slogans against the non-provision of risk and coronavirus allowances.
“We won’t budge unless our demands are met,” a doctor said, warning that they will take the protests to other parts of the city as well.
Another demonstrater claimed that despite working overtime the management has refused to pay the doctors. “We are risking our lives here every day. We have been working even during the pandemic. How can they not pay us these allowances?”
Following the protests, patients visiting the OPDs faced a number of difficulties.
Earlier this week, young doctors in Islamabad boycotted OPDs at PIMS after clashing with the police. The protesters tried to enter the Pakistan Medical Commission after which the police baton-charged and fired tear gas at them. Doctors have been protesting against the National Licensing Exam.
