BBH doctor reinstated after inquiry gives him clean chit

RAWALPINDI:

An inquiry team has cleared a doctor of charges of attacking and manhandling a female nurse at the Benazir Bhutto General Hospital.

The inquiry committee has recommended immediately reinstating post-graduate doctor Muhammad Asif after the CCTV footage could not establish his manhandling of the staff nurse. Dr Asif was suspended on the verbal orders of Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmeen Rashid after the incident was brought to her notice.

Nurse Saima Naz had accused Dr Asif of manhandling her for not obeying his orders of treating an emergency patient brought to the hospital in an ambulance.

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The paramedical staff of the hospital went on strike after the nurse accused the doctor of manhandling. The provincial health department said that Saima Naz and Dr Asif were interviewed by the inquiry committee which also examined the footage of CCTV cameras installed in the emergency ward to find out the facts. The inquiry committee did not find evidence of manhandling of the nurse by the doctor.

After completing the probe, the inquiry committee has not only immediately restored Dr Asif in the light of its preliminary report but also withdrew the health minister's verbal order to suspend the doctor.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 21^st, 2021.