ISLAMABAD: A large number of doctors, nurses and other health workers of Poly Clinic Hospital on Friday staged a protest demonstration against the hospital management for excluding their names from the risk allowance list which has been sent to the government for approval.
The protesting health workers say that the government had announced a special risk allowance for the health workers serving in the Covid-19 wards, but the hospital management in order to accommodate some blue eyed officials in the administration has deprived them of the risk allowance, despite the fact that they have been serving in the Covid-19 wards from day one.
The sources at the hospital told Naya Daur that Dr. Nalia Israr, Dr. Amanullah, Dr. Muhammad Ayub, Dr. Masood Ghani, Dr. Farooq Akhrtar, Dr. Imtiaz Ahmad, Dr. Niaz Muhammad, Dr. Abid Hussain, and Dr. Wali Khan never performed duty in the Covid-19 wards as they are serving in the administration but their names are included in the risk allowance list.
There are around 50 doctors and other health workers exposed to Covid-19 at the hospital but their names are not part of the list.
The hospital management has developed a list of around 250 health workers exposed to Covid-19 and to accommodate members’ administration some 50 doctors’ names were allegedly excluded.
President Young Doctors Association Dr Fazal Rabbi while requesting the government to notify the alleged corruption has demanded special risk allowance for all health workers exposed to Covid-19 in the hospital. He said the discrimination by the management and any other organization would not be tolerated.
Dr. Fazal said distribution of the risk allowance among blue-eyed boys and depriving the deserving health workers is an unfair and shameful act.
Dr. Sher Alam said they are giving 48 hours ultimatum and if their demands were not met, they will stop all hospital operations and will go for a strike until addressing their issues.
He was curious about how undeserving health workers can snatch them right to risk allowance from those serving in the risk area.
Dr. Uzair Aslam says the government had made a very clear announcement that whoever among the health workers is performing duty in Covid-19 wards will be eligible to risk allowance, but that is not the case with the health workers serving in this hospital.
The hospital management has issued a warning letter to Dr Alam for raising his voice through the media against the missing names of many eligible doctors from the risk allowance list.
“It has been observed and reported that you were involved in spreading the news regarding the unfair distribution of special allowance of Covid-19 to health workers on social and electronic media. This is to inform you that the above act on your behalf is the violation of the circular No.1(8)/2020-General NHSR&C", the notification states.
The Young Doctors Association (YDA) has given a 48 hours deadline to the Poly Clinic management for taking its notification back.