Patients writhe in pain as BBH doctors boycott OPDs

Leave waiting rooms jammed with patients seeking treatment

RAWALPINDI:

The ongoing conflict between the Benazir Bhutto Hospital (BBH) administration and the young doctors intensified as the latter also closed the outpatient department of the children’s ward on Friday, the fourth day of the boycott of duty by junior doctors.

Junior doctors at the public hospital began a work boycott four days ago to demand the cancellation of the transfer of their colleagues and action against the alleged insulting behaviour of the head of the department (MU-I). The boycott of doctors has left the hospital waiting rooms jammed with patients seeking treatment as people and their children suffering from smog, pneumonia, measles and other infectious diseases flooded OPDs only to see locked doors and doctors away from duty.

Due to the complete closure of OPDs for four days, more than 8,000 patients were deprived of medical treatment. Patients visiting the facility asked the Punjab chief minister to take notice of the issue and intervene to get the OPDs opened.

On Friday, the protesting young doctors also locked the OPD of the pediatrics department, which caused a lot of problems for the ailing children and their parents.

Every day, around 1,500 poor patients visit the OPDs of the hospital.

According to the hospital administration, more than 8,000 patients left the hospital without being checked in the last four days due to the closure of OPDs and other departments including the operation theatre.

According to the hospital administration, in winter and especially during the smog season, a lot of children suffer ailments including respiratory problems and the pediatrics OPD is mostly visited by children from poor families who cannot afford the expenses of private clinics.

Sources said that the hospital management invited the young doctors for negotiation but they refused.

According to the administration, they will decide in a few days about sending the names of the striking doctors to the Punjab government for strict action.

On the other hand, Young Doctors’ President Dr Humayun Warraich said that they had informed the administration about the alleged insulting behaviour of the head of the department of MU-I Dr Lubna but the administration instead transferred the doctors who had complained against her.

Due to this dispute, he said, doctors were on a strike. He said that “we demand that the transfer orders of doctors should be cancelled and action taken against Dr Lubna. “If the demand is not accepted, we will continue the strike.”

Published in The Express Tribune, December 10^th, 2022.