KARACHI: The Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) Karachi, joined by central medical leadership and representatives of the Young Doctors Association (YDA), staged a protest demonstration and addressed a joint press conference at the Karachi Press Club on Monday against the Federal Board of Revenue’s taxation measures, mandatory Point of Sale (POS) integration and what medical leaders described as administrative harassment of private clinics and hospitals.
Addressing the media, representatives of the medical community rejected the treatment of medical consultations as retail business activities, maintaining that medical consultation is a professional healthcare service rather than a retail transaction.
They argued that mandatory POS integration for private clinics and healthcare facilities would create additional administrative and financial pressures on medical practitioners and could ultimately affect healthcare delivery and patients.
The PMA demanded the immediate withdrawal of mandatory POS integration for medical practitioners and called for an end to penalty notices, threatening communications and what it termed harassment of private practitioners by regional tax authorities.
The association also sought clear safeguards to protect the confidentiality of patients' medical information and prevent inappropriate access to private patient records.
Medical leaders warned that if the federal government and FBR did not withdraw the measures, the medical fraternity would launch a nationwide protest movement, including symbolic closure of clinics.
They said the medical community would decide its future course of action at a convention scheduled for October 11.
The protest and press conference were addressed by PMA Centre Secretary General Dr Abdul Ghafoor Shoro, PMA Karachi President Dr Ismail Memon, PMA Karachi General Secretary Dr Shahid Mamsa, Prof Tipu Sultan, YDA Chairman Dr Mehboob Noonari, Dr Mehran Shar, Dr Mirza Ali Azhar, Dr Hamid Manzoor, Dr Altaf Khatri, Dr Abdul Rahman, Dr Sana Yasir, Dr Ameer Solangi, Dr Rasheed Lakhair, Dr Jan Muhammad and Prof Sirajuddaula Syed.
The medical leadership said doctors were united in protecting professional autonomy as well as access to affordable healthcare for the public.
They called upon the Prime Minister and Finance Minister to intervene and resolve the dispute with the medical community before further protest action was taken.
