LAHORE: The Punjab government took action against the protesting health sector employees, including the young doctors and nurses, terminating/suspending 17 of them from service, besides initiating other stringent steps to make out-patients departments (OPDs) of the state-run hospitals across the province fully functional.

The action was initiated following the reports that more than 0.5 million patients, mostly poor and deserving, were denied treatment at the OPDs of the government hospitals across Punjab during the last 10 days of agitation by the health employees.

The Young Doctors Association (YDA) Punjab had given a call to all the employees, including nurses and allied health professionals, to shut down the OPDs of thegovernment hospitals, suspending all kinds of services to the poor and needy patients.

On the other hand, the Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) strongly condemned the registration of criminal cases and termination of services of young doctors and other employees of the state-run hospitals.

The PMA suggested the Punjab government to show restraint, instead of `victimising` the protesters who took to streets for their `legitimate rights`.

Early on Wednesday, the sources said, a heavy police contingent reached The Mall, and then got Charing Cross cleared from the protesters.

Reportedly, the police uprooted the protest camps of the employees, took into custody many of them. Other protesters managed to escape, ending the 24-day-long sit-in on The Mall.

Sources say that that the police action was also prompted by the complaints of the traders doing business in markets along the The Mall, the area residents and the motorists, who were facing a great deal of inconvenience due to the blockage of one of thecity`s busiest intersections.

Additionally, the Punjab health authorities on Wednesday initiated strict departmental action, terminating and suspending 17 doctors and nurses from service for instigating the employees to launch agitation and remain absent from their respective duties.

Most of them are the young doctors of Lahore`s government teaching hospitals, while some others from south Punjab.

The postgraduate training of some of the young doctors was also terminated for denying treatment to the patients in the name of strike, the sources say.

An official says the Punjab government issued astandingordertothehealthauthorities to take `strict measures` to make the OPDs and indoor departments of the public sector hospitals fully functional.

To ensure this, he said, they were directed to show zero tolerance and take disciplinary action against troublemakers.

To resume the healthcare services, the Punjab health department directed the professors/medical teachers to ensure their presence in the OPDs and indoor wards.

Similarly, the vice chancellors, princi-pals, chief executives and other senior admin offices were directed to take round of the OPDs and indoor wards to monitor the treatment services and presence of the senior medics.

Additionally, the government directed the senior administrative officers of the health departments, including the deputy and assistant secretaries, to visit the hospitals, prepare reports of treatment process and send the same to the higher authorities on a daily basis.

Issuing an official letter the same day, the health department cancelled all kinds of leaves -earned leave, EOL, casual (except ex-Pakistan leave, Hajj, Umrah, medical, maternity, study, Iddat leave) --of doctors, nurses and allied health professionals.

The employees who had proceeded on leave were directed to report back to their places of duty, failing which they will have to face disciplinary proceedings under Peeda Act 2003.

Separately, the Punjab government directed the vice chancellors, principals and heads of the state-run medical institutes to remove unauthorised banners, wallchalking, posters, streamers, standees or promotional material displayed by any union, association or individual on the premises of the public sector teaching hospitals across the province by Wednesday.

They were also directed to submit compliance reportstothe authoritiesconcerned.

PRE-ARREST BAIL: An anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Wednesday granted prearrest bail to four doctors and paramedic staffin a case ofattackingpolice personnel during the prolonged protest by the Grand Health Alliance (GHA) at Charing Cross.

The suspects, Dr Salman Haseeb, Dr Rafaqat Ali, Muhammad Imran and Muhammad Usman, appeared before the court.

Their lawyer told the court that the petitioners wanted to join the investigation against them and were ready to furnish surety bonds for the grant of pre-arrest bail.

Judge Irfan Haider allowed the bail to the petitioners till May 10 and directed them to join the investigation before the police.

Racecourse police registered a case against 200-300 members of the GHA on charges ofattackingpolice.