–Injured brother of deceased awaits physical examination
LAHORE: The Young Doctors’ Association Punjab (YDAP) has come forward to rescue their fellow colleagues who were named in the First Information Report (FIR) registered with the Shadman Police Station regarding the killing of an attendant Suneel Saleem, who lost his life in a scuffle that erupted between the attendants and hospital security guards earlier this week at Services Hospital Lahore (SHL), Pakistan Today has observed.
Suneel, a constable in the Motorway Police, lost his life while a security guard of SHL Nawaz Dilbar is still in critical condition after a scuffle that reportedly took place as Dr Saira refused to attend Kiran Kashif, Suneel’s sister. According to the FIR registered with the police, Aneel Saleem, Suneel’s brother, has alleged that Dr Saira beat up his sister when she requested her for the check-up. “More than 15 security guards along with 12 ward boys and 10 young doctors started beating us and therefore my brother succumbed to his injuries and lost his life,” Aneel has claimed in the FIR.
Talking to Pakistan Today, Dr Salman, who was named in the FIR, said that not even a single member of the YDAP could be seen in the CCTV footages of the incident. “I have appeared in front of the inquiry committee constituted by the health department and recorded my statement,” he said.
It is worth mentioning here that a committee was constituted by the Specialised Healthcare and Medical Education Department the very next day of the incident under the supervision of former Principal of the Allama Iqbal Medical College Prof Eice Muhammad. Professor of Neurology from King Edward Medical University Prof Athar Javed, Professor of Orthopedics from Jinnah Hospital Prof Rashid Saeed and Deputy Secretary (Technical) from Specialised Healthcare and Medical Education Dr Mohsin Mahmood Sarwar were among other members of the committee that were bound to submit their report within three days.
A meeting of the YDAP was held at SHL late night on Wednesday where it was decided that pressure would be built on the government to rescue all those who were named in the FIR. “We have gone through all 50 footages that were taken by four CCTV cameras and the involvement of doctors couldn’t be found at all,” Dr Atif Chaudhry, Senior Vice President of YDAP said while addressing a press conference on Thursday at the SHL. He further said that a false impression was being given and some quarters were showing the incident as any sort of persecution of the Christian community, which he said, was highly regretted as a doctor doesn’t ask the patient about his faith and religion before providing him or her with treatment.
“Over 60 per cent security guards, ward boys and sweepers are Christian here at SHL and we cannot even think of refusing a patient to give him treatment just because of his faith or belief,” he added.
Speaking about the tragic incidence that took place earlier this week at SHL, he said that the patient wanted to get operated despite the fact that there was no need of operation at that time and the lady doctor asked her to take rest. “Her brothers started making video clips breaching the law that doesn’t allow anyone to make videos at the gynaecology wards and therefore a scuffle erupted between the attendants and the security officials in which Suneel lost his life while a guard was critically injured.
“No case can be registered with police against any on-duty doctors as per the rules made by the Punjab Healthcare Commission and therefore we request the government to quash the cases launched against our fellow colleagues,” Dr Atif said, who was accompanied by YDAP President Dr Maroof, Joint Secretary Dr Shoaib Niazi, coordination from Punjab Institute of Cardiology Dr Umair, YDA President from Children’s Hospital Dr Sajid and others from different hospitals of the province.
However, Aneel Saleem told this scribe that he himself along with his two cousins got injured that day and the doctors were involved in that scuffle. “I am still awaiting my physical examination as I don’t want it from SHL because I do not trust that hospital and arrangements should be made for my physical examination from any other hospital to get the true picture,” he said while adding that Suneel’s four children were waiting for the culprits to be brought to justice.