.

After a long discussion (2 hours 30 mins) with the Chief Minister Punjab, Mr. Shehbaz Shareef, it was announced by the honorable CM that the stipend for young doctors will be raised by 50%. The new stipend for an HO will be Rs. 18000/- and that of a PG student will be Rs. 22500/-.

At the start of the meeting, the CM presented his comments on general situation of health in the province and the poor conditions not just in BHUs and RHCs but also the secondary and tertiary care centers. Later on, YDA representatives were given the permission to present their points - and then started the discussion amongst the participants in an organized fashion. Prof. Javed Akram presented the summary of the discussions held earlier with the YDA and the Govt. All the professors and principals/ VCs agreed that the state of affairs in the hospitals were not satisfactory and that their is shortage of staff and low pays of the staff. Demand for increase in the number of HO/PG student seats, monitoring and evaluation system of the junior and senior doctors, security for doctors, proper service structure, and rotation of doctors in periphery were also discussed.

The meeting ended with an announcement from the Chief Minister regarding increase in stipends of young doctors i.e. 18000/- for an HO and 22500 for a PG Student.

Special thanks to Dr. Sardar Ali Ayaz for his support in organizing the meetings with the Chief Minister.

Participants of the meeting included Vice Chancellors of KEMU & UHS, principals of all government medical & dental colleges of Punjab, Prof. Amir Aziz, Sardar Ayaz (MNA), Secretary Health, other senior government officials of concern to the Health Department & Finance Department. From the Young Doctors Dr. Salman Kazmi, Dr. Rana Sohail, Dr. Sardar Ali Ayaz, Dr. Somia Iqtadar, Dr. Rai Ahmad, Dr. Lala Rukh, Dr. Sarmad Waqas, Dr. Yasir Bajwa, Dr. Aurangzeb, Dr. Ahmad Kamran, Dr. Naeem Majeed, and many others were also present.

Minutes of the meeting can be read here.

YDA

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