Strike called off: Nishtar Hospital doctors return to work
Doctors on Wednesday called off their boycott of work at public hospitals in Multan division.
The Pakistan Medical Association, the Young Doctors Association and the paramedical staff association agreed to end their strike after assurances given by Nishtar Medical College principal Dr Sami Akhtar that action will be taken against those who beat up doctors and paramedical staff on Monday. The doctors demanded that police be asked to include anti terrorism sections in the FIR.
Cantt police registered a case against 10 nominated and 50 unidentified suspects on a complaint by Nishtar Hospital MS Javed Omar. The FIR has been registered under Section 427, 337 H1, 186, 148 and 149 of the Pakistan Penal Code.
A police official speaking on condition of anonymity said police have arrested 60 people. He said raids were being conducted to pick up more suspects.
Earlier, protests were organised by doctors and paramedics at all hospital in Multan division against hospital administrations and the government for not providing adequate security to doctors.
YDA South Punjab chairman Dr Ali Waqas told The Express Tribune that the strike was called off on assurance of appropriate security.
Dr Sami Akhtar told The Tribune that they had decided that that the hospital administration will pay for private expenses if its X-ray or CT-scan machines were out of order.
He said the hospital had terminated the agreement with the private security firm hired to provide security at Nishtar Hospital.
He said he will personally head the inquiry into the incident.
He said the doctors’ associations agreed that action will be taken against any doctor found guilty of negligence.
YDA South Punjab president Dr Mazhar Chaudhary said if doctors were not provided security, the patients will also suffer.
Around 2,500 patients visit Nishtar Hospital daily.
Child denied treatment at rural health centre dies
Protestors blocking National Highway for two hours on Wednesday alleged that a three-year-old child had died due to the absence of medical staff at the Baseera rural heath centre (RHC) in Muzaffargarh.
Ilyas, 3, had been hit by a car while crossing a road with his father, Muhammad Zubair.
Zubair told The Express Tribune that there was no one except an ambulance driver at the RHC when he arrived there. “I had to take my son to the Muzaffargarh district headquarters hospital over 20 kilometres away…my son died on the way,” he said.
Zubair said he wanted to know why there were no doctors present at the RHC.
Muzaffargarh EDO (health) Dr Aashiq Malik has suspended dispenser Muhammad Riaz, LHW Sajida Parveen, in charge nurse Farzana Kausar, midwife Nasira Parveen and watchman Nazar Hussain from service.
Dr Malik said the staff was required to be on duty. “If they had to leave, they had to inform the doctors assigned to the Baseera RHC,” he said.
Muzaffargarh PMA general secretary said, “We respect the strike in Multan…but there was no strike in Muzaffargarh.”
He said attendance records showed that all doctors were on duty.
The EDO (health) has ordered for an inquiry in the matter.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 11th, 2012.
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