Two groups of doctors are at loggerhead with each other at Mayo Hospital Lahore leaving the patients to suffer as one of the groups is observing strike for last three days in the outdoors and indoors against the termination of two of their colleagues by Health Department.
Specialised Healthcare and Medical Education Department (SHC & MED) of the Punjab government had issued a notification on October 25 this month terminating Dr Shaharyar Niazi and Dr Mazhar Rafique barring both of them to continue their post graduate training at Mayo Hospital. The young doctors of the hospital are observing strike since then demanding the resignation of secretary SHC & MED Najam Shah and cancellation of their colleague’s termination letters.
On Saturday, an ugly episode occurred in the hospital when two groups of doctors scuffled with each other outside the emergency. The group of Dr Shaharyar Niazi alleged that SHC and MED secretary Najam Shah is inciting the other group to create violence in the hospital. “A group led by the goons of the health secretary in the form of Dr Shoaib Niazi assaulted me when we were leading a protest rally,” the terminated Dr Niazi said.
He added that he is being targeted for opposing the Central Induction Policy recently introduced by the Punjab government, adding that the health secretary and Vice Chancellor King Edward Medical University are responsible for the chaos.
Dr Shoaib Niazi is heading another group of young doctors and both the groups are levelling serious allegations against each other.
Dr Niazi was terminated after he was found guilty by a fact-finding committee of beating a patient and his attendant while performing his duty in East Surgical Ward on October 15. The secretary health issued a notification barring Dr Niazi to continue his post graduate training at Mayo Hospital and he cannot join any other hospital for an entire year.
Dr Shaharyar Niazi is the chairman of Young Doctors Association (YDA) Mayo hospital and therefore YDA is observing the boycott of indoors and outdoors including the wards.
“Our chairman was beaten up by the goons of health secretary today and the police are refusing to launch the First Information Report (FIR) because we want to nominate him,” spokesperson of YDA Mayo Dr Zafarullah told Pakistan Today.
The protest by YDA will remain continue in five hospitals of the city including Mayo Hospital, Children Hospital, Jinnah Hospital, Lady Wallington Hospital and Lady Aitchison Hospital till the cancellation of the termination of our colleagues, he said.
“These doctors must resolve their problems amicably in the best interest of the patients,” an attendant Waheed Ahmad said, while speaking to Pakistan Today. The strike and protest has become a routine of doctors and patients suffer a lot when such a situation emerges, he added.
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