Pakistan: Paramedics protest merger of Health Councils in Peshawar, demand recognition and rights

Peshawar [Pakistan], September 19 : A protest took place outside the Peshawar Press Club on Wednesday in response to a call from the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Paramedical Association. The demonstration aimed to oppose the decision to merge the Pakistan Allied Health Professional Council (AHPC) and the Pakistan Nursing Midwifery Council (PNMC), according to The Express Tribune.
Anwar Khan, Provincial President of the Association, led the protest. The report further stated that the paramedical staff participating in the protest rejected the federal government's decision.
Former Provincial President Syed Rooydar Shah, Provincial Chairman Johar Ali, Peshawar Division President Mujahid Azam, Additional Secretary General Shamsul Taj, and Peshawar District General Secretary Syed Mubarak Shah, were alongside Anwar Khan. They urged the federal government to prioritise the registration of millions of paramedics nationwide instead of merging the Pakistan Allied Health Professional Council with the Nursing Council, as this approach could generate billions in revenue.
The report further noted that these registered paramedics could secure employment overseas, bringing significant foreign exchange to the country. The speakers expressed strong opposition to the federal government's proposed merger and called for its retraction. Protesters carried banners and placards with slogans denouncing the merger. The speakers criticised the government's decision, asserting that neglecting millions of paramedics across the country is a serious injustice.
It is worth noting that several councils operate under Pakistan's health sector, including the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council, the Pharmacy Council, the Homeopathic Council, the Traditional Medicine Council, and the Pakistan Animal Sciences Council.
However, there is an unjust effort to merge the newly established Pakistan Allied Health Professional Council with the Nursing Council. The speakers emphasised that these paramedics tirelessly serve humanity around the clock in hospitals nationwide. They urged the government to act judiciously and reconsider its decision to prevent harming and depriving millions of paramedics of their rights.