ISLAMABAD: After three meetings between doctors and Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, the issue of Health Risk Allowance could not be resolved.
A statement issued by the Ministry of Finance on Monday says the Joint Action Committee (JAC) of federal hospitals and MNA Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry met with Ishaq Dar on Monday morning.
The meeting deliberated on the demands of federal hospital doctors and paramedics for the unfreezing of the health allowance which was frozen by the PML-N government when announcing this year`s budget.
The allowance is given because healthcare personnel are exposed to all kinds of bloodborne and radiation-related diseases like hepatitis B and C, cancer, tuberculosis and diseases transferred by needle and sharp object pricks.
Finance Minister Ishaq Dar said he was sincerely making efforts to resolve the issue and that all concerned ministries were workingtogetherto ñnd a practicalsolution to theproblem The minister also said the government was fully committed to addressing the concerns of the JAC.
The chairman of JAC, Dr Sartaj Ali, while talking to Dawn, said although the issuance of notifications had been delayed, he still believed that Mr Dar was serious about resolving the issue and that notifications would be issued after all hindrances had been removed.
The statement issued by the finance ministry said another meeting would be held to consider the matter soon after the finance minister returned from his official visit abroad.
The allowance was to be un-freezed after doctors and paramedics started a three-day sitin near Nadra`s office. Some political parties PPP, PTI, Jamaat-i-Islami and Qaumi Watan Party had declared solidarity with the protesters.
Mr Dar had deliberated with the protesters on the 10th of September and had said that notifications would be issued on the 12th, which has still not happened.
