PESHAWAR: Young doctors across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have launched a province-wide protest after the government announced only a 15 percent increase in salaries for house officers and trainee medical officers, which the Young Doctors Association says is far below their demand for a 40 to 50 percent raise.
YDA leaders stated that doctors’ salaries have not seen any major increase since 2016 despite rising inflation, adding that while the health secretary had prepared a summary proposing a 40 to 50 percent increase following negotiations, the finance department approved only 15 percent.
The protesting doctors are also demanding an increase in house officer and TMO stipend and accommodation allowance from Rs. 15,000 to Rs. 30,000, a share from Sehat Card Plus income, filling of vacant posts through the Public Service Commission as no recruitment has been made since 2018, and job security for faculty members in MTI hospitals.
As part of their protest plan, doctors have set up a protest camp outside the Health Secretariat and warned that OPD services and elective surgeries may be suspended in phases while emergency services will continue.
They further threatened to extend their protests to outside the Chief Minister Secretariat and the offices of the health minister and finance department if their demands are not met, with doctors from Dera Ismail Khan, Bannu, Hazara and other districts joining the demonstration.
Meanwhile, the Provincial Doctors Association has also given a two-week deadline and warned of a complete shutdown of teaching hospitals, while the KP Health Department has not yet issued any official response to the protest.
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