Muhammad Akhtar Abbas Khan.
Strikes of health care providers and pharmacies in Pakistan: An ethical issue.
Pak J Public Health Jan ;4(3):37-40.

Background: Strike of industrial workers is very common in the world but the question arises do the health care providers have the right to go on strike? Strikes of health care providers bring lots of ethical issues. Usually all strikes and protests by the health care providers are staged for better service structure, against Government policies, better working environment or in support for other professionals. Such strikes not only increase the sufferings of patients and their attendants but also result in delay in treatment, loss of work and indirect costs. Discussion: The International Labor ofce recommends that the right to strike may be restricted or prohibited in essential services including hospital sector. The religious code of ethics also values the life of a human extraordinary. During the last two decade Pakistan has seen a number of strikes of the young doctors, nurses, Paramedics in public sector and private pharmacies (including Whole sale markets, medical stores, and chemist shops). During these strikes a large number of patients have died due to non availability of medical care and medicines. Many patients died because of denial of doctors and nurses to provide the care in emergency services Challenges: The service structure, long working hours, poor working conditions and security issues are challenges to avoid strikes. Conclusion: Not going on strike can save many avoidable deaths. Benets of going on strike are never outweighed the immoral sufferings or deaths of patients. No one is forced to become a health care provider but once any one joins such profession s/he is bound under certain moral obligations including not to go on strike. Health care providers should not leave their patients in suffering merely for their gains and on account of bad policies of the politicians. (Pak J Public Health 2014;4(3):29-32) Keywords: Health care providers, Pharmacies, Strike, Eviel issue.

PakMediNet -Pakistan's largest Database of Pakistani Medical Journals - http://www.pakmedinet.com