Health Dept opens probe into alleged harassment at JPMC

Resident doctor claims her HOD sent her immoral messages, misbehaved with her

KARACHI:

The Sindh Health Department has launched an investigation into allegations of harassment made by Dr Mehreen Urooj, a female resident doctor at JPMC's Urology Department, against the departmental head Dr Shahzad Ali.

The Health Department has constituted a committee tasked with probing into the matter, according to an official notification.

Dr Saqib Sheikh, Director of Health Services Karachi, will head the committee, while Deputy Secretary Tariq Khan will also be its part.

The committee has been given three days to thoroughly examine the facts and evidence related to the allegations. It is expected to submit a detailed report, including recommendations for further action.

The incident of harassment at workplace was reported by a female doctor at the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre Department of Urology.

Dr Mehreen Urooj, a resident doctor of the urology department, accused her Head of Department (HOD) Dr Shehzad Ali of harassment. In a complaint she claimed that Dr Shehzad sent her immoral messages and misbehaved with her in his office on December 7.

The affected female doctor has filed a written complaint with the hospital director's office. She has demanded that the matter be investigated immediately and justice be served. Dr Shehzad Ali has refrained from talking about the matter.

The Young Doctors Association has staged a protest outside the JPMC Urology Department against the incident. The association has demanded a fair and transparent inquiry into the incident and action against the culprit.

Deceased child's body handed over to wrong family at NICH

Staff at the National Institute of Child Health (NICH) mistakenly handed over the body of a deceased child to the wrong family in a shocking case of negligence. The incident occurred when the family of a living child received the body of another child who had passed away in the ICU.

As soon as they reached home, the family discovered that the body they had brought was not their child's. Meanwhile, the family of the deceased child grew anxious and began searching the hospital for their child.

The mix-up triggered both families to express their outrage, leading to an investigation by the hospital administration. It was later confirmed that the wrong body had been sent home by mistake.

The hospital is making efforts to return the deceased child's body to the proper family. However, the incident has drawn criticism of the hospital for its negligence.