Joint Action Committee of Doctors in Karachi has demanded that no direct case under section 302 may be registered against any doctor until his or her negligence is proved by a special technical committee.
The committee comprising of senior doctors as well as representatives of Pakistan Medical Association, Pakistan Islamic Medical Association and College of Family Physicians in a statement on Thursday took exception to “direct” registration of FIRs against the attending physicians at police stations in cases of mishap.
“This gives an impression that life and death is in the hands of doctors,” said the Doctors Action Committee members.
They urged the authorities concerned to ensure that no prosecution, or legal proceeding may lie against the health care provider except before the commission related to provision of healthcare. We never support negligence but that needs to be proved scientifically, they said.
They said that physical attacks on doctors and health providers, while they are performing their duties, should be taken as
“interference” in official duties. The Doctors Joint Action Committee said attacks on doctors must be taken as serious offence and culprits should be booked and punished according to the law.
They recommended that the violator should be fined up to Rs.500,000 or one year imprisonment or both. This particular aspect should be widely communicated through media for the information of general public, they demanded. Security and protection while on duty of the HCW, they said, should be the responsibility of the organization availing their services.
The organizations (public or private/local or provincial or federal governments) for which the doctors/health care workers are
working must provide them full protection, both physical and legal. And in case of physical injury incurred while performing the duties, the doctors and health care workers should be fully compensated. Doctors and medical professionals must have legal protection and in case of litigation, the administration must own the responsibility of legal cover and provide full financial and legal help accordingly, they demanded.
They also demanded that registered FIRs against doctors should be canceled, and the SHOs who did so without investigations must be suspended from duties.