PESHAWAR: Differences have surfaced between two groups of health workers over observing strike in the major hospitals of provincial capital.

The Insaf Doctors Forum (IDF) has opposed the demands of Health Employees Coordination Council and described its call for strike an attempt of an opposition party to create problems for the provincial government.

Addressing a news conference at Peshawar Press Club on Thursday, IDF leaders Dr Nasir Majeed, Dr Kamran, Dr Gulzar, Dr Musharraf and Dr Ubaid said that the strike observed in Lady Reading Hospital on Wednesday was an attempt to create unrest among people without any reason.

Dr Nasir said that provincial government had already committed to accept demands of doctors and other health workers so there was no room for protest demonstration, strike and boycott.

He said that a particular group of doctors, enjoying support of a political party, was misusing the platform of doctors. Politicising the issues of doctors was immoral and illegal, he added.

Dr Nasir said that it was ironic that protesting doctors were regularly attending their private clinics but they were in habit of boycotting duty at government hospitals. He said that protesting doctors should also avoid taking salaries as it was also wrong.

The IDF leader said that holding protest demonstrations without any reason was meant to create problems for people and bring a bad name to doctors as well. If such protests continued any longer, the provincial government might stop work on the reforms agenda and its entire responsibility would rest with those, who were protesting, he added.

Meanwhile, LRH administration has taken strong exception to the strike observed by some doctors and other health worl(ers and dubbed it an act against humanity. The administration has demanded of the authorities concerned to take action against those involved in Wednesday`s strike so that no one else could dare to create problems for patients.

The strike, it said, was aimed at attracting patients towards private clinics of the protesting doctors but such attempts would not succeed.

On the other hand, Health Employees Coordination Council has pledged to continue its efforts for acceptance of it demands and render sacrifices for the purpose.

In a statement, Dr Musa Kaleem said that government had issued show causes to members of the council but such attempts could not deter them from their demands.Bureau Report