Eight die as doctors continue strike against CIP

Faisalabad authorities decide to shift at least 45 doctors from rural health centres

FAISALABAD: At least eight patients, who were reportedly brought to the Allied Hospital in critical condition from across the Faisalabad Region, died over a span of 48 hours as young doctors continued with their strike.

Activity at the medical facility was severely affected by the protests. Due to the lack of doctors at the emergency wards of the Divisional Headquarters and Allied hospitals, Faisalabad Deputy Commissioner Salman Ghani, after consultation with the district health chief executive officer, decided to shift at least 45 doctors working in rural health centres and basic health units.



The aim was to save all those patients who were battling for their lives. It was also decided that at least 10 doctors would work in one shift, while five additional medics would be put at the disposal of the hospital administration to meet demand at emergency wards.

The district administration announced it needed to take action following the serious situation which had emerged in the wake of the doctors’ strike in both leading hospitals. Officials said that these circumstances had created numerous problems for critical patients and even led to their death.

The Young Doctors Association is on strike for a second day across the province and many patients, who cannot afford treatment at private hospitals, are suffering. The YDA is up in arms over the central induction policy of the Punjab government and has also demanded the removal of Punjab Health Secretary Najam Ahmad Shah. The association believes Shah is responsible for creating a mess in the health department and is aggravating their problems instead of solving them.

Talking to The Express Tribune, YDA Faisalabad General Secretary Dr Adnan Shahkair said the medics are asking the government to meet their demands which have continued for years. He said the central induction policy discriminates between doctors who have graduated from government institutes and those who have received their education from private ones. “Since majority of the doctors have graduated from private medical colleges, they want the policy to be revoked and an equal system to apply to all”, he added.

He said YDA would continue with the strike till their demands are accepted, adding that shifting doctors from rural areas cannot meet the needs of emergency departments at major hospitals. Dr Adnan added those working in rural units lacked the skill to deal with urgent situations that may emerge at the ward.

He was of the opinion that even the doctors from rural areas are sympathetic towards the plight of their urban counterparts and the majority of them would not join their duties.



The strike has left the patients in limbo and caused the deaths of about eight of them at Allied Hospital alone, reports suggested. However, Allied Hospital Medical Superintendent Dr Rashid Maqbool denied these cases, adding only two patients had died at the emergency wards. He added the rest were already dead before there was a chance to administer medical aid.

In Lahore on Tuesday, a patient breathed her last at the Services Hospital emergency ward as junior doctors went on strike against the action of law enforcement agencies at one of their protests.

The patient, identified as Jannat-ul-Firdous, 60, had been brought to hospital due to a severe pain in the chest. However, since doctors were not available and activity at the ward was suspended, she died while at the emergency ward.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 3^rd, 2017.