YDA refuses negotiations with health authorities

Doctors in Quetta are continuing their strike, demanding enhanced safety measures and improved security within hospitals, particularly after a recent acid attack on a colleague.

The Young Doctors Association (YDA) announced Wednesday its resolve to maintain the strike, rejecting negotiations with health authorities until their demands are met. The association insists on the government allocating resources to bolster doctor safety and strengthen hospital security.

Dr. Palwasha Raheem Kakar, a YDA leader, highlighted the fear gripping the medical community, especially female doctors, following the acid attack on Dr. Mahnoor Nasir, a close friend. Kakar emphasized the inadequate security at Civil Hospital, criticizing health authorities for their perceived inaction and for what she termed retaliatory dismissals of medical staff instead of addressing security concerns.

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This incident, she said, has instilled fear among female doctors and the broader medical community.

Despite the ongoing strike, the YDA assures that protesting doctors will continue to provide free treatment at private clinics, acknowledging the difficulties faced by patients. In solidarity, National Party leader Mir Rehmat Saleh Baloch has called for a transparent judicial inquiry into the acid attack, supporting the striking doctors' cause.

The YDA's stance underscores a critical issue of safety within healthcare facilities, with doctors demanding a secure environment to practice their profession without fear of violence.

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Instead of addressing these security concerns, the government opted to dismiss medical staff, which she termed retaliatory.