COVID-19: Pak doctors threaten strike if not provided protective equipment

Islamabad [Pakistan], Mar 21 : Even as the cases of deadly coronavirus continue to surge in Pakistan, doctors' representatives from four public hospitals here have threatened to stop working from March 24 if they are not provided with personal protective equipment (PPE).

According to a Dawn report, the representatives announced on Thursday that they cannot continue working without personal protective equipment (PPE) and would shut the outpatient departments (OPDs) from March 24.

The doctors from four hospitals namely -- PIMS, Polyclinic, National Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine (NIRM) and Federal General Hospital spoke at a press conference held at Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS).

Highlighting the dangers posed to the medical professionals, Dr Asfandyar Khan from PIMS said they had requested the government to arrange PPE but no one "bothered to listen" to their concerns.

"In the current situation, it has become impossible for us to continue working. We will stop working from March 24 if PPE would not be provided to us. We also want assurance that a special package would be announced for those staff members who contract COVID-19 while performing the duty. Though we are ready to continue our duty it will be a suicide to work without the safety equipment," Dawn quoted him as saying.

The number of confirmed cases of coronavirus in Pakistan rose to 495 with as many as 252 cases reported from Sindh alone.

( With inputs from ANI )