YDA strike violates Hippocratic oath, Constitution, says LHC judge
Petitioner calls for cancelling licences of doctors on strike. Punjab law officer says strike violates SC orders.
LAHORE:
Justice Ijazul Ahsan of the Lahore High Court on Tuesday remarked that doctors who were participating in the current strike were not only violating their Hippocratic oaths but that their actions also violated the Constitution.
He said the oath of doctors does not allow them to go on strike, and that by doing so they have disgraced the oath by violating it.
Justice Ahsan gave these remarks while hearing a petition seeking directions for cancelation of practice licenses and scrutiny of degrees for the doctors participating in the ongoing strike, denying to treat patients at government hospitals, eventually resulting in the death of several patients.
“The doctors can’t go on strikes after leaving the patients unattended. They have been bounded by their oath to treat the patients whenever they will come for treatment,” Jutstice Ahsan further observed.
Justice Ahsan issued notice to Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC), Punjab government and Young Doctors Association (YDA) for their reply by the next hearing on July 6.
Advocate Muhammad Azhar Siddique, who filed the civil miscellaneous application in his already pending petition challenging the strikes of doctors, contended that the strike was against the spirit of fundamental rights and also negated the sanctity of medical profession. The petitioner requested the court to cancel the licenses of young doctors who are on strike.
“If a patient dies due to the strike of young doctors, they should be accused for the death and stern action must be taken against them,” the petitioner said. It further added that the PMDC should also investigate whether degrees of the young doctors had been acquired from accredited educational institutions or not.
During the course of hearing on Tuesday, a provincial law officer submitted that the issue of strike by doctors was also pending before the Supreme Court of Pakistan which had restrained the doctors from going on strike.
“To go on strike despite clear orders of the superior judiciary is a contempt of court,” the law officer argued.
Justice Ijazul Ahsan of the Lahore High Court on Tuesday remarked that doctors who were participating in the current strike were not only violating their Hippocratic oaths but that their actions also violated the Constitution.
He said the oath of doctors does not allow them to go on strike, and that by doing so they have disgraced the oath by violating it.
Justice Ahsan gave these remarks while hearing a petition seeking directions for cancelation of practice licenses and scrutiny of degrees for the doctors participating in the ongoing strike, denying to treat patients at government hospitals, eventually resulting in the death of several patients.
“The doctors can’t go on strikes after leaving the patients unattended. They have been bounded by their oath to treat the patients whenever they will come for treatment,” Jutstice Ahsan further observed.
Justice Ahsan issued notice to Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC), Punjab government and Young Doctors Association (YDA) for their reply by the next hearing on July 6.
Advocate Muhammad Azhar Siddique, who filed the civil miscellaneous application in his already pending petition challenging the strikes of doctors, contended that the strike was against the spirit of fundamental rights and also negated the sanctity of medical profession. The petitioner requested the court to cancel the licenses of young doctors who are on strike.
“If a patient dies due to the strike of young doctors, they should be accused for the death and stern action must be taken against them,” the petitioner said. It further added that the PMDC should also investigate whether degrees of the young doctors had been acquired from accredited educational institutions or not.
During the course of hearing on Tuesday, a provincial law officer submitted that the issue of strike by doctors was also pending before the Supreme Court of Pakistan which had restrained the doctors from going on strike.
“To go on strike despite clear orders of the superior judiciary is a contempt of court,” the law officer argued.