While doctors protest in solidarity, patients depend on kismet
YDA doctors observe total strike after incident in Lahore.
Patients search for doctors willing to treat them at DHQ. PHOTO: WASEEM NAZIR
RAWALPINDI:
Protests by doctors in Punjab continue to take their toll on those whose only fault is getting sick or injured. According to a Rescue 1122 official, doctors at the Holy Family Hospital (HFH) emergency ward refused to attend to some people who were injured in a road accident on Sunday.
Doctors had gone on a total strike after Young Doctors Association (YDA) members in Lahore were baton-charged and arrested for trying to protest at the launch of the Metro Bus Service in Lahore.
Doctors in Rawalpindi did not serve in outpatient departments or attend to any inpatients at HFH, Benazir Bhutto Hospital (BBH) or District Headquarter Hospital following the incident in Lahore.
BBH YDA President Dr Umer Saeed said doctors went on strike after they learnt their colleagues were beaten and arrested in Lahore. He said doctors on duty went home after getting wind of the incident and that YDA representatives would work out their strategy on Monday evening (today).
According to him, the peacefully protesting doctors were on hunger strike in Lahore only to demand the provision of free medicine for poor patients at public hospitals.
The YDA representative said they plan further protests if the Punjab government does not reinstate over 400 doctors who were fired for various infractions.
Earlier, a Punjab government spokesperson claimed many such doctors were working abroad while drawing salaries from the provincial government.
The recent wave of protests by YDA Punjab began after seven doctors were arrested for roughing up the medical superintendent of Gujranwala District Headquarters Hospital over a month ago. The association has demanded the release of the doctors and the cancellation of subsequent transfer and termination orders.
According to details, the protesting doctors in Lahore tried to breach the high security arrangement around the inauguration venue of Metro Bus Project to get close to Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif. The baton-charge reportedly began after the doctors began pelting stones at the police, allegedly after being provoked to do so by a senior figure from the provincial opposition.
Additional input from Vaqas Asghar
Published in The Express Tribune, February 11th, 2013.
Protests by doctors in Punjab continue to take their toll on those whose only fault is getting sick or injured. According to a Rescue 1122 official, doctors at the Holy Family Hospital (HFH) emergency ward refused to attend to some people who were injured in a road accident on Sunday.
Doctors had gone on a total strike after Young Doctors Association (YDA) members in Lahore were baton-charged and arrested for trying to protest at the launch of the Metro Bus Service in Lahore.
Doctors in Rawalpindi did not serve in outpatient departments or attend to any inpatients at HFH, Benazir Bhutto Hospital (BBH) or District Headquarter Hospital following the incident in Lahore.
BBH YDA President Dr Umer Saeed said doctors went on strike after they learnt their colleagues were beaten and arrested in Lahore. He said doctors on duty went home after getting wind of the incident and that YDA representatives would work out their strategy on Monday evening (today).
According to him, the peacefully protesting doctors were on hunger strike in Lahore only to demand the provision of free medicine for poor patients at public hospitals.
The YDA representative said they plan further protests if the Punjab government does not reinstate over 400 doctors who were fired for various infractions.
Earlier, a Punjab government spokesperson claimed many such doctors were working abroad while drawing salaries from the provincial government.
The recent wave of protests by YDA Punjab began after seven doctors were arrested for roughing up the medical superintendent of Gujranwala District Headquarters Hospital over a month ago. The association has demanded the release of the doctors and the cancellation of subsequent transfer and termination orders.
According to details, the protesting doctors in Lahore tried to breach the high security arrangement around the inauguration venue of Metro Bus Project to get close to Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif. The baton-charge reportedly began after the doctors began pelting stones at the police, allegedly after being provoked to do so by a senior figure from the provincial opposition.
Additional input from Vaqas Asghar
Published in The Express Tribune, February 11th, 2013.