MUZAFFARABAD:The Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) government has approved Rs895.316 million for the health department to provide increased allowances to health sector employees, aligning them with those received by their counterparts in the federal government. Recently, the AJK Supreme Court had ruled in favour of the doctors, directing the government to enhance their allowances — including the special healthcare allowance, non-practicing allowance, and medical risk allowance — effective from the fiscal year 2022-23. On Wednesday, the doctors’ action committee had warned of suspending services in outpatient departments (OPDs) starting Thursday to press the government to meet their demands. However, in a revised announcement, the action committee said it was putting its decision to boycott OPDs on hold, citing positive signals from the government. According to a notification issued on Thursday by the AJK health department, the AJK cabinet had approved under Rule 26, Sub-rule (b)(1), and Rule 28 of the Rules of Business (Revised) 1985 the allocation of an additional Rs 895.316 million in the health department’s budget for 2024-25. The funds will be used to increase allowances for all cadres of doctors, paramedical staff, staff nurses, and allied health staff in AJK, bringing them on par with allowances sanctioned by the federal government for itsemployees in the health sector, the notification said.