Medics refuse to budge against reforms act.

LAHORE -- Healthcare providers on Wednesday extended strike to indoor wards of public sector hospitals across the province, adding to the agony of ailing humanity by practically paralyzing services delivery. As 20 days strike at OPDs and suspension of services at operation theatres and diagnostic laboratories failed to bring health managers on table, the Grand Health Alliance (GHA) extended protests indoors for giving a strong message to the government.

Prior to that, healthcare providers also came out on roads thrice as part of protest against the Punjab Medical Teaching Institutions (Reforms) Act 2019, causing a massive traffic jam on important arteries at peak hours.

Infuriated over disciplinary proceedings against protesting doctors, the GHA has threatened to further extend the strike to emergencies, meaning practically shutting down the health facilities.

Doctors and allied health staff deputed for treatment of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif at VVIP bloc of Services Hospital also stopped performing duties, causing the management to depute senior consultants and administrative doctors. The young doctors and allied staff stayed away from duties at OPDs, operation theatres, radiological and pathological labs and indoor wards of teaching hospitals including Mayo Hospital, Services Hospital, Children's Hospital, Lahore General Hospital, Jinnah Hospital, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Shaikh Zayed Hospital, Punjab Institute of Cardiology in Lahore as well as other districts...