Absent from duty: Three doctors suspended

Over 1,000 patients visit the department from across the division daily, says Dr Iftikhar, the hospital's MS.

ABBOTABAD:

Three casualty medical officers of Ayub Medical Complex were suspended on Saturday for being absent from duty.

According to Dr Muhammad Iftikhar, the hospital’s medical superintendent (MS), during a surprise visit to the casualty department of the hospital, he found Dr Sabirullah, Dr Bakhtiarullah and Dr Sherzada absent from duty. He said the missing doctors were running the department through three house officials in their stead.

The doctors, according to Iftikhar, had not informed their seniors and had not gotten their leaves sanctioned. This caused patients at the casualty department to suffer unnecessarily, said the MS.

As the only tertiary care hospital in Hazara, over 1,000 patients visit the department from across the division daily, added Iftikhar. The MS, while using his administrative powers, suspended all three absentee doctors and referred the case to a disciplinary committee for further action.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 16^th, 2014.