Surgical precision: Doctors turn each other into patients

Two injured after fight breaks out between protesting YDA, senior doctors.

ISLAMABAD:

Doctors showed off their versatility on Saturday as the punches flew left and right at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims). An altercation between senior and junior doctors saw two health professionals taken to the surgical intensive care unit (ICU). Dr Taqi Anwar and Dr Ejaz, both Young Doctors Association (YDA) members, were admitted in the surgical ICU after undergoing treatment.

The fisticuffs created panic and fear among patients who were already suffering due to a strike at the hospital which began on Friday. Patients, including women and children, were seen running frantically to get away from the fracas.

The brawl was a fallout from the YDA strike, which is demanding foolproof security for doctors, closure of the courtesy counter, and an end to the VIP culture in the hospital. The demands were made on Thursday after a scuffle between doctors and the security guard of a custom official who had incorrectly parked his vehicle outside the emergency ward. The YDA withdrew their services from outpatients departments and operation theatres to register their protest.

Senior doctors asked them to call off their strike, but the YDA refused. The fight broke out after YDA members tried to stop the senior doctors from opening the outpatients departments and operation theatres.

The angry young doctors started damaging the hospital building and furniture, also breaking the windows of the new Pims executive director’s office.

Senior doctors who wished not to be named said the YDA has made a habit of going on strike for any reason they could find, adding that their strikes have also defamed senior doctors who regularly come to the hospital and perform their duties with full responsibility.

“These trainee doctors and their association create disturbances in the hospital over minor issues. Due to this, everyone suffers, especially poor patients who come from far-flung areas,” they said.

They said the only reason behind the strike is that the YDA is against the appointment of new PIMS head Professor Riaz Warriach as they wanted to have a head from within the hospital.

“The YDA also wanted to go on strike the day new ED took charge but we asked them not to,” said senior doctors.

Meanwhile, YDA-Pims President Dr Asfandyar Khan told The Express Tribune that “their peaceful protest against VIP culture was sabotage by some doctors who brought outsiders armed with weapons”.

According to PIMS spokesperson Dr Waseem Khawaja, Dr Taqi’s right ulnar artery was ruptured and Dr Ejaz suffered a severe calf injury.

A meeting between senior doctors, YDA members and other stakeholders was held later which decided that the YDA will call off the strike if their demands were fulfilled by Monday morning.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 21^st, 2012.