A province-wide strike is currently underway in Punjab following a call by the Young Doctors Association (YDA) to protest the potential privatization of public healthcare facilities.
Outpatient departments (OPDs) have been completely closed at three major hospitals in Rawalpindi—Benazir Bhutto General Hospital, Holy Family Hospital, and Rawalpindi Teaching Hospital—causing significant hardship for patients in need of medical care. In Lahore, routine services at key public hospitals including Services Hospital, the Punjab Institute of Cardiology (PIC), Jinnah Hospital, General Hospital, and Children’s Hospital have also been suspended.
Despite mounting pressure, government officials have said that they will not yield to what they describe as coercive tactics by any protest group. Authorities are reportedly concerned that negotiating with one sector may embolden similar actions by others, prompting a firm response from the administration.
Dr. Arif Aziz, President of the YDA at Benazir Bhutto Hospital, reiterated the association’s firm opposition to the privatization plan, emphasizing that the protest will remain peaceful. He strongly condemned the reported use of water cannons against doctors demonstrating in Lahore, labeling the action as entirely unacceptable and expressing solidarity with those affected.
According to the YDA, the strike currently impacts only OPD services, while emergency and inpatient departments remain operational. Nonetheless, insiders suggest the scope of the protest could broaden if the government does not address the association’s concerns.
