Protesting doctors accept CM's invitation for talks.

Byline: Ashfaq Yusufzai

PESHAWAR -- Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Doctors Council has decided to hold a meeting with chief minister on Tuesday but continue strike throughout the province.

However, the protesting doctors will not observe strike at Lady Reading Hospital on Monday as goodwill gesture in response to the government's offer for talks.

Health Secretary Dr Syed Farooq Jamil appreciated the doctors for accepting the invitation for talks by Chief Minister Mahmood Khan and said that the problems could be resolved through negotiations, not strikes.

'We appeal to doctors to end their strike and enable the poor patients to get free treatment at the public sector hospitals. Doctors are cream of the society and we hold them in high esteem but protest and closure of hospitals are against the spirit of medical profession, which advocates treatment of patients,' he said.

Province-wide strike in hospitals except LRH to continue

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Young Doctors Association president Dr Rizwan Kundi said that they could continue the strike till removal of Health Minister Dr Hisham Inamullah Khan and his adviser Dr Jawad Wasif besides revoking the plan to pass a draft bill from the assembly to set up regional and district health authorities because those were meant to affect patients' care.

'We are also in touch with the lawmakers of opposition parties to block the passage of law aiming to establish authorities at the district and regional level,' said Dr Rizwan.

The health secretary said that problems couldn't be resolved through agitation and strikes because those tactics only harmed the poor patients, who were visiting the hospitals to seek free treatment. He said that the protesting doctors belonged to same community and were required to serve the patients and at the same time continue talks with the government for resolution of their problems.

'We have ordered postings and transfers of about 800 doctors under the...

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