RIC medics stop work after alleged assault

Hospital staff demands registration of FIR, inquiry and guarantees for their security

RAWALPINDI:

Nursing staff at the Rawalpindi Institute of Cardiology (RIC) stopped work in protest after a staff nurse was allegedly assaulted and harassed by relatives of a female patient.

The protest ended after authorities assured the nurses that an FIR would be registered, an inquiry committee would be constituted and security of hospital staff would be ensured in future.

RIC Executive Director formed a three-member inquiry committee comprising Prof Misbah Durrani, Dr Abdul Malik Sheikh and Dr Abdus Salam Azad. The committee will submit its report within seven days.

The committee will review CCTV footage and record statements of the relevant staff.

According to sources, in-charge nurse of the emergency department Sitara Saleem was allegedly assaulted by Zarina Wazir, sister of a female patient, and her brother. After allegedly abusing and threatening the nurse, they dragged her from the ward to a room.

The incident prompted nursing staff to stop work in protest, while security personnel closed the hospital's external gate. The protest affected operations in the emergency department and other wards, causing difficulties for several patients.

The DMS and AMS Emergency, security supervisor and night-duty supervisor have also been suspended until completion of the inquiry.

Police registered a case on the complaint of nurse Sitara Saleem.

According to the FIR registered at Waris Khan police station, the nurse said she was attending to patients in the emergency ward at around 5am when three daughters of a female patient, identified as Zameen Bibi, were asked to leave the emergency department.

She alleged that the women became angry, abused her and dragged her towards the male ward, where two men also joined them and assaulted her. She alleged that the women tore her clothes and attempted to remove them, while also threatening her despite her pleas.

The complainant alleged that the attackers told her they were influential and would have her removed from her job.

Police officials said a case had been registered and raids were being conducted to arrest the suspects.

Earlier, expressing solidarity with the affected nurse, RIC paramedics and nursing staff staged a protest inside the hospital premises and demanded justice.

City Police Officer Waris Khan Abid Khan and SHO Raja Tasaduq reached the spot and held talks with the protesters. They assured them that the complaint would be registered as a case and the suspects would be arrested.

Following the assurance, the protesters ended their demonstration peacefully.

RIC PRO Umar Qureshi said the issue had been resolved and the protesting nurses had rejoined their duties.