MS vs young doctors: Out-patient services at Civil Hospital resume

“Watching the doctors on TV gave me goosebumps. This is unfortunate,” says Civil judge.

GUJRANWALA:

The two-day strike at the out-patient department of Civil Hospital ended on Thursday.

The out-patient as well as in-patient wards had been closed on Wednesday after members of the Gujranwala chapter of Young Doctor Association (YDA) vandalised the office of the medical superintendent and had thrown his staff out. They had been accusing the MS of bias and anti-YDA measures.

On Wednesday, police had registered cases against 15 doctors, of whom seven were arrested, including YDA Gujranwala chapter president Dr Kashif Bilal.

Condemning the violence, senior doctors said that the YDA was forcing strict actions against the doctors by resorting to “delinquent behaviour”. They said those who wanted to become thugs will be fired from service.

A police team had been deputed at the hospital to protect the doctors working despite the YDA call for strike. District Coordination Officer Muhammad Najam Shah also visited the hospital on Thursday. He was joined by City Police Officer Abdur Razzaq Cheema, who said that cases had been registered against doctors who had attacked the journalists on Wednesday.



“I will guarantee security at the hospital,” he told the reporters.

MS Anwer Aman, however, expressed dissatisfaction with the security measures at the hospital. He said police had been unable to prevent Wednesday’s attack although the young doctors had vandalised his office on Tuesday and had threatened to return. He also said, however, that hospitals could not be made to look like police station because that kind of security would cause inconvenience for the patients.

He said besides the patients, the hospital staff including paramedics had been “sick and tired” of the young doctors’ attitude.

Earlier, a court handed over the arrested doctors to the police for two days. Civil Judge Muhammad Asif also remarked that the incident had raised questions about the doctors’ attitude.



He observed, “Watching the doctors on TV gave me goosebumps. This is unfortunate.”

The YDA Gujranwala president kissed his handcuffs while being led out of the court.

Apology offered and accepted

Later on Thursday, the MS forgave his assailants after a young doctor sent an unconditional apology through a letter. YDA member Dr Hassan also met the MS at his office and apologised for the attacks on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Talking to the reporters, Dr Hassan said that he had not been present at the time the office was vandalised. He felt regretful for what the young doctors had done. He said he was not against doctors raising a voice for their rights, but “such misconduct is unacceptable”.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 4^th, 2013.