"?Dr Ajmal has been removed from his seat because his tenure was completed and he was trying to run political activities in the hospital," Polyclinic Hospital Spokesperson Dr Sharif Astori.

The administration of the Polyclinic Hospital terminated the Young Doctors Association (YDA) Chairman Dr Muhammad Ajmal, who works as a medical officer at the Nephrology Department, on Tuesday. The doctor was accused of disrupting the services by calling a sudden strike in the hospital a few days ago.

On the other hand, YDA gave an ultimatum to the hospital administration to restore Dr Ajmal by Wednesday morning (today) and take back the inter-department transfers of the YDA members threatening to call a complete strike if their demands were not met.

The strike was called on May 24 at around 11 am when the house officers (HOs) and post graduate trainees (PGs) were asked to receive their two months salary cheques by the hospital administration which they refused to take and announced strike.

Talking to The Express Tribune, Dr Ajmal said, “Six of the YDA members were asked for an explanation on the incident. Therefore the YDA has demanded to take back the notices issued to them.”

He said the YDA has approached the Capital Administration and Development Division (CADD), to resolve the issues on which they have been given a one day time.

When contacted Polyclinic Hospital Spokesperson Dr Sharif Astori said, Dr Ajmal has been removed from his seat just because his tenure was completed and he was trying to run political activities in the hospital which was affecting the environment.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 30^th, 2012.

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In a dramatic protest at Province House Tuesday evening, residents of Souris voiced their outrage at government’s decision to centralize dialysis services and close the clinics in Souris and Alberton.

About 200 people from Souris marched up Great George Street, announcing their arrival with a row of bagpipers, accompanied by police cars with flashing lights.

They joined another group also gathered in protest at Province House over government’s plan to realign the Trans-Canada Highway in Bonshaw.

Altogether, about 300 people stood with signs and placards spelling out displeasure and anger at the Ghiz government.

The speeches focused on the dialysis changes, with several people sharing personal stories of their difficult treatment experiences.

Nathan Bushey, president of the P.E.I. dialysis patient support group east, said he heard from many patients and their families who were shocked to learn dialysis was to be moved out of Souris and relocated to Charlottetown.

“The dialysis facilities in Alberton and Souris are new. The equipment is new, they are fully staffed and operating at full capacity and functioning very well,” he said.

He pointed to the increased costs for both the province and for patients if the province goes ahead with its plan to close the Souris and Alberton hemodialysis clinics.

But he also discussed the serious health effects of dialysis on those receiving the treatment and how physically taxing it would be to have to add travel for an hour or more three or four times a week.

“People with chronic kidney disease are very sick … side effects of hemodialysis, which is often referred to as the dialysis hangover, include low blood pressure, weakness, muscle cramps, headache, increased sensitivity to cold, and tiredness,” Bushey said.

“As you realize, patients on dialysis are very vulnerable. Many are in a very weakened state.”

The group called for the dialysis clinic in Souris to remain open for as many years the Ghiz government remains in power.

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Matthew MacFarlane, a kidney patient and representative of the Kidney Foundation of Canada, said the foundation supports the efforts of the committee that has been struck in Eastern Kings to oppose the centralization of this treatment.

“Dialysis affects everyone in P.E.I., not just those in Charlottetown or Summerside,” he said.

Reading from a letter penned by Kidney Foundation Atlantic executive director Ken Fox, MacFarlane detailed the difficulties that will be faced by Island patients if centralization takes place.

“Increasing the distance the patients have to travel for dialysis increases the burden of kidney disease on patients and other families,” he read.

“It can increase the physical, emotional and financial hardships for patients. The closing of these units will mean that some patients will essentially lose a whole day to these treatments.”

The Ghiz government has delayed its plans to move the services out of Souris and Alberton after it announced the changes in April.

Health Minister Doug Currie said he is willing to sit down and have discussions with the health providers, patients and communities to see if a compromise can be reached.

“Since the initial decision (to move the services) I’ve had an opportunity to listen to community groups, talk to individuals, and certainly have had the opportunity to see the human side to the decision,” Currie said after the protest.

“Sometimes as ministers when you’re dealing with policy and you’re looking at budgets and you’re looking at the future of health care, you lose sight of that a little bit and certainly we’ve made a very clear statement tonight that we’re committed to having more comprehensive look at dialysis here in the province.”

The province has postponed any move of dialysis clinics from Souris and Alberton for one year.

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