LAHORE, July 13: The Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) has held the Punjab government responsible for the recent crisis of health facility at public-sector hospitals due to a strike by the Young Doctors Association.

In its reply submitted to the Lahore High Court during hearing of a petition against young doctors’ strike and for taking stern action against them, the council said the Punjab government had failed to satisfy the doctors and avert their strike.

Justice Ijazul Ahsan was hearing the case.

The council said due to mischief of the government, the doctors were left with no choice, however, the PMDC did not in any way endorse the strike and denounced the doctors’ action of not providing medical care to patients.

“The PMDC believes that the primary duty of a doctor is toward his patients and there can be no justification for stopping service,” council registrar Ahmad Nadeem Akbar said in the reply and added that the act of the young doctors to refuse treatment to patients was deplorable.

The reply said the Punjab government had a duty to hold a meaningful dialogue with doctors to prevent the strike, but it failed to do so which led to the crisis.

It said as far as the role of PMDC was concerned, if the government sent a complaint against a doctor for willful negligence of duty, it would proceed strictly in accordance with Section 31 of the PMDC Ordinance 1962 and other regulations.

The government must provide allegations and complaints against the individual doctor, it said.

The council maintained the Punjab government was the only party responsible for the situation as the order of the Supreme Court was in field and the government should have exercised more care to avert the fiasco.

“Prima facie it seems that this fiasco had been orchestrated by the Punjab government and their mischief must be punished,” it said.

It also prayed to the court to reprimand the Punjab government authorities for creating the situation and order them to redress grievances of the young doctors on a long-term basis.

After going through the PMDC reply, Justice Ahsan adjourned hearing till July 20 and directed the Young Doctors Association and other parties to file their replies.

The judge also issued notices to YDA on a review petition filed by the Punjab government against the court order of suspending actions against young doctors. — Staff Reporter