KARACHI: At least four patients have died since the doctors’ decision to boycott the Outpatient Departments (OPDs) and Operation Theatres (OTs) at government hospitals across the province.
From Karachi to Kashmore, thousands of patients continued to suffer as doctors’ strike entered the fourth consecutive day on Saturday.
The OPDs and other operations in the hospitals across the province, including Karachi’s Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, Dr Ruth Pfau Hospital and National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, remained suspended due to the strike; however, doctors ensured to perform their duties in emergency and other wards.
The doctors are demanding an increase in their salaries on the pattern of doctors’ salaries in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
A five months old child died in Karachi on Saturday as doctors of National Institute of Children Disease allegedly refused to provide treatment to the ailing minor girl.
Over the past three days, three more deaths have been reported in different cities of Sindh.
Some attendants of patients at the National Institute of Child Health (NICH) misbehaved with the protesting doctors following the death of two children during treatment. They blamed that doctors’ negligence had claimed the lives of two babies.
The patients’ attendants also staged protested demonstration outside the NICH and shouted slogans against doctors. The blocked the road for a while in protest.
On the other hand, NICH Director Prof Dr Jamal Raza, said two admitted children died during treatment due to complications of pneumonia and other diseases. He said deaths of children have nothing to do with the protesting doctors.
Separately, the protesting doctors held a meeting with Advisor Murtaza Wahab at his home to get resolved the issues of doctors.
The doctors of Hyderabad, Sukkur, Larkana, Badin, Dadu, Jacobabad, Kashmore, Thatta, Mirpurkhas, Sanghar Tando Allahyar, Jamshoro and other cities of the province have also observed the strike.