Police remand for MLO, nurse comes around

KARACHI: A medico-legal officer accused of raping a trainee nurse, Dr Abdul Jabbar Memon, was given in to police remand until July 20 on Friday.

The case’s investigation officer Rao Mubashir submitted to Judicial Magistrate (South) Sadruddin Bohio that Memon was being treated and his doctors said that he was unable to walk. He presented a medical report and a written statement by the doctor. The victim’s sister, neighbours and members of the Christian Community Welfare were also present in court.

Meanwhile, the trainee nurse regained consciousness after 58 hours. Neurosurgeon Dr Sattar Hashim, who had operated on her, spoke with her in the presence of her family. It will take time for her memory to return, he said. But with time, she will return to normal. No one has been allowed to meet her.

The Jinnah hospital authorities issued notice on Friday directing the evacuation of the illegally occupied flats in doctors’ colony within 24 hours. The notification also called for a background check on the rest of the occupants.

According to the hospital authorities, around nine flats have been illegally occupied, out of which six residents are doctors and three flats are inhabited by families. The police will be called to help if needed. JPMC authorities said they took this decision after Tuesday’s incident.

According to hospital officials, the provincial health ministry has also called for a complete background check on the doctors who were allotted flats in the residential colony. Some doctors and staff members have rented their flats, officials revealed.

Trainee nurses at the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC) will stay away from work for two more days out of “fear of harassment” but senior nurses will be on duty.

This is in reaction to the alleged rape of a trainee nurse by a medico-legal officer that has led to an uproar in the hospital. Sehar Iqbal of the Provincial Nurses Association told PPI that some of them had held talks with the hospital’s administration without consulting the nurses. The strike was in reaction to this.

School of Nursing principal Azra Hameed said the trainees would not be sent on ward duty on Saturday and Sunday. Their classes will continue though. There are 200 trainee nurses and 250 nurses are living at the hostel. There are more than 400 staff nurses at JPMC, she said, adding that patients will not face any problems in the absence of the trainees.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 17^th, 2010.