FAISALABAD – Following the frequent arrest and detention of doctors in connection with deaths of patients attributed to mistreatment and negligence, an Islamabad-based professional organization of doctors and physicians has called for a new legislation to protect doctors’ rights.
Pakistan Islamic Medical Association (PIMA) Chairman Dr Shafqat Javed and General Secretary Dr Mumtaz Hussain have demanded a legislation, delegating the authority to prosecute a doctor to a professional organisation and restricting the police to take action against a doctor unless endorsed by that particular body to do so.
The PIMA officials have also condemned the increasing incidents of violence against doctors by patients and their relatives. “We have already the laws that come into force when a police officer is tortured or beaten up during his course of duty. We demand a similar legislation for the protection of doctors as well,” said the PIMA office bearers said.
“We have recently witnessed the police raids on the residences of doctors, their detentions at police lock-ups in Lahore and Karachi,” they said in a joint statement. “Is it a civilised way of paying respect to doctors in recognition of their services,” they questioned.
Referring to the registration of criminal cases against the doctors, they said that lodging an FIR based on the subjective opinion or emotionalism of a certain individual is not justice. “We need to consider their long years of service while blaming them for negligence or incompetence,” they said.
“The crux of the matter is that we need to revise the existing health mechanism and training strategy of doctors and revamp the medical facilities and equipments required by doctors,” they said. “Similarly, it is equally important to protect doctors from violence or detention,” they stated.
“Lack of proper facilities and the drawbacks of the health system have resulted in the detention of doctors,” they lamented. They concluded that as a result of these inherent faults, doctors have been left at the mercy of police and ‘Bhatta Mafia’.
They said Pakistan Dental and Medical Council (PMDC) must be given an authority to take any action or launch an inquiry whatsoever against a doctor so that the matter could be dealt with on technical grounds without any political pressure, fear or favour.
They also urged the authorities that in the event of violence or riots, there must be a system of registration of an FIR at the instance of doctors or hospital staff against those involved in a criminal activity. “Due to the poor health policies and lack of incentives for doctors, there is a common trend among them to leave the country and settle abroad leading to a brain drain of doctors,” they said.
The situation has further deteriorated due to the cases of target killings and violence against the doctors, they concluded. “A deep sense of insecurity among the doctors has a negative impact on the standard of health care that is declining day by day,” they said.
They stressed an earnest need to address the problems faced by doctors so that they could concentrate on their duty in a comfortable and tension-free environment.
