Grand Health Alliance ends sit-ins after successful talks with Punjab govt

LAHORE: The Punjab health department has held successful talks with the protesting doctors of Grand Health Alliance who have ended their sit-in continued since 16 days, ARY News reported on Friday.

The Punjab government has agreed to establish committees in all hospitals for the distribution of personal protection equipment (PPEs) besides accepting the protesting doctors’ demand to include one member of Grand Health Alliance in each committee.

After the successful talks, it was announced to initiate screening of all doctors, nurses and paramedical staff besides providing the best medical and quarantine facilities to those infected with the coronavirus.

Read: 15 more doctors, one nurse, two paramedics catch coronavirus in 24 hours

Moreover, the provincial authorities will also give risk allowance to all health professionals including medical staff working on ad-hoc, contractual and training basis performing duties in quarantine facilities across Punjab.

It was also decided to provide life insurance to the medics besides withdrawing steps taken against doctors, nurses and paramedical staff.

Health workers had complained for weeks that the country’s hospitals are suffering chronic shortages of safety gear, prompting the arrest of more than 50 doctors who called for more supplies in Quetta earlier in April.

Read: NDMA delivers fourth consignment of protective gear to Balochistan, GB

Earlier in the day, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) dispatched the fourth stock of personal protection equipment (PPEs) for doctors and paramedical staff fighting coronavirus pandemic in the country.

The fourth stock consisted more than 950,000 surgical face masks, 39,299 N-95 respiratory masks, 178,660 protective suits, 54,800 gloves, 31,934 shoe covers, 41,065 surgical caps, 19,807 face shields, 39,200 bottles of 500 millilitres sanitizers each and 12,964 gowns.

The protection equipment was sent to the hospitals of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and Punjab in order to ensure the protection of medics fighting COVID-19 pandemic on the front line.