Day 31 of doctors’ strike: Protest against kidnapping of cardiologist continues

Physicians boycotting OPDs of state-run hospitals keep their private practice going.

QUETTA: Doctors at state-run hospitals boycotted the outpatient departments (OPDs) for the 31st consecutive day on Tuesday in protest against the non-recovery of kidnapped cardiologist Dr Munaf Tareen.

Though doctors are not attending patients at OPDs of free-of-cost government hospitals, their private practice continues.

Cardiologist Dr Munaf Tareen was kidnapped by armed men on September 17, in front of his hospital at the Pishin Bus Stop, Quetta.

Tareen was the 26th doctor kidnapped for ransom from Balochistan. Many doctors like Tareen run their private hospitals and clinics in Quetta where patients come not only from other parts of the province but also from war-torn Afghanistan.

More than 80 doctors have migrated from Quetta due to deteriorating law and order while more than 20 have been shot dead.

“Law enforcers have failed to trace the whereabouts of the kidnappers despite the lapse of 51 days,” Dr Faiz Hashmi, General Secretary of Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) Balochistan said talking to The Express Tribune.

He said kidnappers’ gangs have been operating in Quetta with complete impunity. “The leader sitting in the government used to take part in the protest rallies of doctors. Now the opposition leaders who were part of the previous government are crying for the lawlessness,” he said.

Responding to a question PMA President Sultan Tareen said kidnappers have not contacted the family or any doctor for ransom. “We do not see any sincere efforts by law enforcers to trace the culprits,” he said.

The people are facing hardship due to the strike. However, doctors are attending patients at their own hospitals in Quetta. When doctors were asked about their private hospitals and clinics they refused to answer questions and said it is the responsibility of government to protect the doctors.

Hunger strike camp

Former information minister for Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Mian Iftikhar Hussain visited the hunger strike camp of doctors at Sandeman Hospital to express solidarity with them on behalf of Awami National Party (ANP).

“We will raise this issue along with the non- recovery of ANP leader Arbab Zahir Kasi,” he told the doctors.

Tribal chieftain Arbab Zahir Kasi was kidnapped two weeks ago in Quetta.

Dr Ghulam Nabi Nasar, Dr Razaq Nasar, Dr Ahmad Achakzai, Dr Asmat Achakzai, Dr Abdul Rehman, Dr Sherzaman Mandokhail and Dr Lal Muhammad Kakar sat in the hunger strike camp on Tuesday.

Why doctors are vulnerable

Doctors have money but they don’t have guns and guards and this makes them soft target for kidnappers.

There are five major state run hospitals in the provincial capital but most of the doctors serving there are found in their private clinics and hospitals.

Doctors make millions of rupees in a month from private practice. There are around a dozen hospitals on Zarghoon Road and they are crowded with patients who come from all over Balochistan and even from the border areas.

Some doctors are involved in treating war victims, charging huge fees, bypassing the mandatory medico-legal formalities. Sometimes injured militants get arrested from hospitals, the sources said. Many patients believe that the strike is a tool to boost private business of the doctors.

“It is hard to find a single doctor at the state-run hospital but you will get one easily at the private hospitals and clinics,” said Mohammed Yunus, a patient in distress.

Many hospitals are being constructed in Quetta as the hundreds of them already functioning cannot meet the swelling number of patients.

The doctors charge a minimum Rs500 fee at private clinics and hospitals. People prefer to go to private hospitals where, they believe, the doctors are more attentive. The same doctors are working in private as well as state-run hospitals.