Islamabad, Jan 11 (NationPress) The United Doctors Forum (UDF) — a coalition comprising the Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) and the Young Doctors Association (YDA) in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) — has issued a warning to the authorities about commencing a protest starting January 26 if their long-standing and justified demands are not addressed, according to local media reports.

During a press briefing, UDF Chairman Dr. Wajid Khan and General Secretary Dr. Arshad Raja, who lead the PMA and YDA respectively, made this announcement alongside other officials including Dr. Waqar Butt, Dr. Basharat Hayat, Dr. Aamir Ikram, Dr. Raja Imtiaz, and Dr. Bilal Ahmed.

The leaders criticized the prolonged delays that have adversely affected the healthcare system and demoralized medical practitioners. They stated that doctors have exercised patience and utilized all constitutional, legal, and democratic avenues for resolution, as reported by the Pakistani daily Dawn. However, they expressed that authorities have failed to address their concerns.

“Regrettably, instead of resolving our issues, they are becoming increasingly complex, and decisions are being postponed repeatedly,” Khan remarked, emphasizing that such delays have plunged the healthcare system into chaos.

The UDF representatives highlighted that the promotion process within the Health Department has been stalled, with promotion cases pending since 2019, resulting in numerous doctors retiring without receiving promotions. They pointed out the lack of a permanent Director General of Health as a significant concern, asserting that the department cannot function effectively under an additional-charge system.

They also expressed serious apprehension regarding the non-disbursement of financial benefits and allowances to doctors since June 2022, despite a ruling from the Supreme Court. Furthermore, they noted that government hospitals are experiencing a critical shortage of medical resources and modern equipment, citing the existence of only one MRI machine in the entire region as “deeply alarming.”

The UDF leaders raised concerns over security threats directed at female doctors and paramedical staff, incidents of physical violence within hospitals, biased investigations, and police actions. They stated, “In every such incident, doctors are unfairly scapegoated, which is utterly unjust.”

As a response, the UDF announced a two-hour open strike commencing January 26 across PoJK, which will last for two weeks, with over 1,200 doctors from the region expected to participate. During this period, out-patient departments (OPDs) will be closed, although emergency services will remain operational. They warned that if no action is taken by February 2, a complete shutdown of hospitals will occur.