The government is considering writing to regulatory authorities to cancel the licences of doctors who go on strike, after a group of doctors defied Health Department warnings and allegedly violated Supreme Court orders to go on strike over the suspension of some Punjab Institute of Cardiology (PIC) doctors.
Out patient departments (OPDs) at all public hospitals in Lahore were closed while the OPD and indoor wards at PIC were shut on Wednesday, as a group of doctors headed by Dr Hamid Butt and claiming to be the “real” Young Doctors Association went on strike. Some 15,000 to 20,000 patients visit OPDs of public hospitals in Lahore every day and all of them had to be turned away due to doctors’ strike, a Health Department official told The Express Tribune.
Operations scheduled weeks before had to be cancelled. Muhammad Ismail, a patient at Mayo Hospital, said he had travelled from Gujrat for surgery but couldn’t be treated due to the strike.
YDA spokesman Dr Aftab Ashraf said that talks with Special Health Secretary Dawood Bareach had failed. “Health Department officials just kept threatening us with dire consequences if the protests continued,” he said, adding that the strike would continue on Thursday.
A Health Department official said that the government was considering various options to punish the strikers.
“We have told them time and again about the clear instructions of the SC against doctors going on strike,” he said. He said that some patients might die if the strike continues and then the doctors would be held responsible. “They think that in the worst case scenario, the government will fire them. But the government can do a lot more by writing to the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) to cancel their registration.
Then they will not be able to practice privately or find it easy to get jobs abroad,” he said.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 16th, 2012.
COMMENTS (13)
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When it comes to DOCTOR, I think of a humanity loving person who is dedicated to serving humanity through thick and thin. What we have seen in Punjab is real selfishness, depriving someone of medical facilities is a crime against humanity and this is possible only in third world nations. Sad!
@Doctor: So the purpose of this strike was to resume a few senior doctors right? Please explain if you guys meant anything else. We'd love to hear your opinion.
Most of your comments are illogical......first try to know what is the purpose of the strike then comment.
Hai your statement is not correct,
no senior doctor was terminated. the cheif executive and ms have been suspended. which is a fair thing. judicial inquiry is on. what these butchers are doing is insane.
My full support is with YDA. Civil dictator Shahbaz Sharif does not know how to run departments, he believes termination is the only solution and best tool for good governance.
The Punjab government is forcing doctors to accept the crime which they have not committed. Last day a YDA doctor was saying 30% patient used ISOTAB how remaining 70 % patient died is a point to ponder.
Alas... These butchers are thinking this profession as an earning industry but not a noble social cause to help the humanity. This group of insane and crap doctors think job of their colleagues worth more than life of human being. One who killed single human is killer of humanity. So what about these killers of humanity,,,,, they work only just for lust for money and respect in society which they dont deserve at all.
why dont supreme court enforce contempt of court on these butchers
The government should stop threatening them and go ahead with the revocation of their licenses. There is no justification for putting the life of any human being in jeopardy. I'm flabbergasted by the irony of the whole situation since the physicians' very oath requires them to swear by the fact to protect the life of any individual...
Health department should be strict on this matter. If anyone goes on strike, license will be cancelled for atleast 1 year. If strikes repeated; then severe punishment must be enforced to ensure discipline in people health department.
These so-called doctors are killing people deliberately. Our nation spends billions of rupees on government medical colleges and make them doctors.. in return we expect them to deliver to nation.