MINGORA: Health Coordination Council of Saidu Teaching Hospital, Swat has announced their intention to suspend all elective outpatient department (OPD) services as of October 7 in protest of the privatization of Saidu Teaching Hospital under the MTI Act.
According to details, the Health Coordination Council has numerous occasions warned the hospital administration about these concerns and, to date, has not received a positive outcome. They have indicated that if any of their legitimate demands are not met, they may cease emergency services.
Health Coordination Council warned that such next steps are not to be personal and political agendas, but they will continue to serve the system and protect the patient’s rights.
The council urges the government and the administration to easily comply with the demands in a bid to stop further escalation.
It is worth mentioning that College lecturers in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) have declared a province-wide boycott of classes in response to the outsourcing of colleges and recommended amendments to their service structure. The boycott is being initiated by the KP Professors and Lecturers Association (KPPLA).
The strike will start after 10 AM in all government colleges in the province, to be prolonged up to October 7, said KPPLA’s General Secretary Qazi Zafar Iqbal.
An emergency meeting of the association has also been summoned for Monday at Government College Peshawar to determine the next course of action. The meeting would prove to be significant for determining whether the protests would be prolonged.
In a formal letter to the Provincial Minister of Higher Education, the association has made an appeal for an immediate acceptance of their two major demands:
Cancellation of proposals to outsource public colleges.
Cancellation of suggested revisions in the service structure of lecturers.
The letter includes a threat that if the demands are not accepted, the association will proceed towards an outright closure of colleges throughout the province.
ALSO READ: KP lecturers boycotts classes to protest against privatization
The boycott has caused concerns among parents and students, particularly with regular academic sessions and exam timetables drawing near.
