Punjab

Degrees to be checked: Wrong injection snuffs out life of 4-year-old

Parents protest, blame quack at nearby clinic for death

Owais Qarni November 06, 2016

Muhammad Mujeeb, another Class-IV employee, said, “I perform 24-hour duty as I am deputed as a security guard. I also work as a clerk in the morning.” PHOTO: FILE

MULTAN: The parents of a four-year-old boy protested in Basti Maluk, Multan on Sunday against a quack who reportedly administered a wrong dose of injection to their son, killing him on the spot.

The boy’s father Muhammad Amin told the media, his son Murtaza was suffering from fever. “I took my son to the nearest clinic, run by the quack, Muhammad Shafiq,” he said. Shafiq administered the wrong dose of injection to his son, who died on the spot, Amin added. “He murdered my son – I want strict action against the quack.”

The Basti Maluk police told the media Shafiq had locked the clinic and fled by the time they reached there. The police registered a case against the reported quack and assured the boy’s parents that Shafiq would be arrested soon. His clinic has also been sealed by the police.

A police official said they had received information that Shafiq had fled towards Bahawalnagar where his relatives live.

Executive District Officer (Health) Dr Zafar Abbas told The Express Tribune such incidents are more common in rural areas and in the outskirts of Multan where quacks play with the lives of people.

He suggested people go to the nearest district headquarters hospital in case of an emergency and not visit such clinics.

Abbas added such incidents took place at least twice in a week in rural areas. “We have made an effective strategy to apprehend quacks, he said. “We have dispatched various teams in rural areas who will collect medical certificates and degrees of private practitioners for verification and report them to the district administration.”

The district coordination officer, Nadir Chatta said strict action would be taken against the quack. He added the district government has launched a crackdown against quacks.

“These quacks are enemies of the society who deceive the public and earn money illegally.” He directed personnel to check medical degrees of all private practitioners in rural areas of Multan.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 7^th, 2016.