Doctors withdraw strike call
Punjab Police withdraw murder case against five doctors of Shaikh Zayed Hospital.
LAHORE:
Doctors have cancelled plans to go on strike in hospitals across the province after the Punjab Police withdrew a murder case against five doctors of Shaikh Zayed Hospital on Wednesday, said the Pakistan Medical Association (PMA).
PMA officials said in a press release that they had seen “documentary proof” that the first information report registered under Section 302 (murder) of the Pakistan Penal Code had been withdrawn.
Also, they said, the capital city police officer had directed senior officers not to register criminal cases against doctors in cases of suspected medical negligence, but to refer such complaints to the Punjab Healthcare Commission, which was set up under new legislation passed last year. Under the new law, they said, cases of medical negligence could only be registered on the commission’s recommendation.
The police had registered the murder case against five Shaikh Zayed doctors after a lawyer died in the hospital. The PMA said that there was no conflict between doctors and lawyers.
PMA officials thanked Commissioner Jawad Rafique Malik and Health Secretary Jahanzeb Khan for their help.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 17th, 2011.
Doctors have cancelled plans to go on strike in hospitals across the province after the Punjab Police withdrew a murder case against five doctors of Shaikh Zayed Hospital on Wednesday, said the Pakistan Medical Association (PMA).
PMA officials said in a press release that they had seen “documentary proof” that the first information report registered under Section 302 (murder) of the Pakistan Penal Code had been withdrawn.
Also, they said, the capital city police officer had directed senior officers not to register criminal cases against doctors in cases of suspected medical negligence, but to refer such complaints to the Punjab Healthcare Commission, which was set up under new legislation passed last year. Under the new law, they said, cases of medical negligence could only be registered on the commission’s recommendation.
The police had registered the murder case against five Shaikh Zayed doctors after a lawyer died in the hospital. The PMA said that there was no conflict between doctors and lawyers.
PMA officials thanked Commissioner Jawad Rafique Malik and Health Secretary Jahanzeb Khan for their help.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 17th, 2011.