The outpatient department (OPD) of the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital (ASH) on Tuesday remained close on second consecutive day for over two hours against the killing of a doctor.
The doctors, paramedical staff and nurses, staged a protest demonstration against the target killing of Dr Arif Mustafa Siddiqui. The protest demonstrations were also held in Sindh Government Hospital Liaquatabad and Sindh Government Hospital New Karachi.
The protesters strongly condemned the rampant killing of doctors in the city and vowed to continue their protest until a firm assurance of authorities concerned to arrest the killers. They security of doctors should be improved and law enforcement agencies should device comprehensive strategy in order to provide protection to health practitioners, they asked.
However, the emergency department of largest KMC-run hospital AbbasiShaheedHospital remained open during the strike. The doctors later called off their strike and resumed OPD services after 11:30 am and patients got medical facilities in remaining hours.
Senior Director Medical & Health Services, Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC), Dr Salma Kausar, said the administrator had met with Dr Arif’s family and assured their full assistance. She said the administrator also offered job to wife of Dr Arif. “All genuine demands of protesting doctors seeking financial assistance for the bereaved family have been accepted,” she informed.
