It is clear that we are facing a medical emergency and it is because of negligent or quacks
KARACHI: This past week alone we have seen a case where a13-year-old had to have his arm amputated, and a 14-year-old lost his life. Both incidents occurred due to negligence by the respective hospitals as they administered the wrong injections to the patients. Following the tragic death of baby Nashwa — who was administered a wrong injection by the Darul Sehat Hospital, and was in pain for weeks before her demise — one expected hospitals to be more careful. After the media gave and intense coverage to this incident, and calls for reforms, it was hoped the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) would tighten the leash on dispensaries and hospitals. Unfortunately, the two recent cases of medical negligence present a different picture. Similarly, the HIV epidemic in Larkana and Faisalabad is being attributed to unhygienic practices by unqualified ‘doctors.’
It is clear that we are facing a medical emergency and it is because of negligent or quacks. The government and the medical regulatory body have failed to ensure the implementation of PMDC rules and regulations in hospitals and clinics across the country. Strict action should be taken against hospitals and doctors who fail to comply with the law. Doctors who are qualified yet negligent should be stripped of their licences and heavily fined. Our healthcare is already in a shambles. We do not need quacks to spread diseases and kill people.
Fasih Khan
Published in The Express Tribune, July 4th, 2019.
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