The good doctor
February 10 was a day of parallel yet opposing events in the city of Lahore. On the one hand, the metropolis turned festive as the Metro Bus System (MBS), arguably the country’s first rapid mass transit bus project, was inaugurated by Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif.
On the other hand, in an apparent move to thwart their ‘design’ to protest at the inaugural ceremony of the MBS, police severely thrashed doctors from the Young Doctors Association in front of the Services Hospital in the provincial capital.
With the situation taking a turn for the negative, PPP Deputy Parliamentary Leader in Punjab Assembly Shaukat Basra, women from the civil society and Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaaf, young lady doctors and a cameraman associated with a private television channel were thrashed by police. The medics’ hunger strike camp outside the Services Hospital was also ransacked in the process.
What probably led to this turn of events was an announcement by the doctors who had been observing the strike unto death. They had decided to stage a demonstration on the occasion of the inauguration of the bus service. However, as they were apparently preparing to leave the camp, police contingents in anti-riot gear and plainclothesmen ‘pounced’ upon them. The authorities thrashed the doctors, both male and female, with batons, kicks and punches. Even passersby and relatives of patients admitted to the hospital were not spared.
What resulted was a clash between a group of medics and the police which came to an end after a number of doctors were taken to a police station.
On the issue, senior Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N) leader Pervaiz Rashid accused the YDA of wanting to stop investment in Pakistan in collusion with the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP). He accused the young doctors of not being friends of Pakistan and said the true face of young doctors and the PPP had been revealed.
The sequence of events raises a number of questions with regard to how authorities in Pakistan have engaged protesters in general and the YDA in particular. Should such use of force to quell protesters, let alone when those protesters are doctors, be allowed in a civilised society with apparent democratic rule? With doctors protesting for their demands every now and then, should the concerned authorities not take into consideration what they have to say and peacefully negotiate instead of letting the problem fester?
Furthermore, instead of leveling accusations against the doctors of not being friends of Pakistan and implying their collusion with political parties, shouldn’t there instead be a proper and organised investigation in this regard?
these doctors need to take a course in basic ethics and also Dear Doctors if you are unhappy with the service structure and your salaries , RESIGN and find yourself a better job …if you cant do that then please keep your mouth SHUT!!!
The doctors should find the best of the best lawyers in the country to fight their case; they can also approach the entire media of this country to get their help, meet scholars and tell them of their grievances, But . . . thy should not punish poor patients who have nothing do to with this. It is unreasonable, and unethical, and ill logical!
If the Drs have demands why not meet them they are in the job to serve the people if they are concerned why not sit down with them and talk whats wrong with that, in the UK Drs or Nurses are not allowed to go on strike they work to improve their working conditions via the trade unions.i think the last Drs strike in the UK was in the 70′s. Drs here now work less hours the on call system has been revamped so that they have time to rest after going back on day shifts same for the nurses. why cant they do that for the Drs in Pakistan. the only people who are suffering are the patients who are not getting the care they deserve because no one is willing to listern to the Drs.
The writeup seems to suggest that the Police should not have used violence because the protesters were doctors! And who gave the doctors a license to be on strike for so long resulting in deaths and misery for the poor? YDA does not want any resolution of their so called issues they are no different from any other extortionist. And now it is clear who is behind the unrest in the ranks of YDA as PPP and PTI join hands to support the YDA thugs.
Well Pakistani society doesn’t deserve maseehas. Instead of supporting their right demands, people start reminding them their oath etc. when they don’t even know their own responsibility as human being. If I were a doctor working in govt hospital I would have handed over my resignation and started working in private hospital charging huge amount from these elite class.
A drop of water in river cannot flow in different direction…
Job 101 for YDA Folks: If I don’t like my job’s salary and perks, I can always leave it and join some place else. If I cannot find a job elsewhere, I should keep my mouth shut and focus on my work. So should you.
doctors have repeatedly boycotted work which is of an essential nature in hospitals to protest for their own at best mean ends…they also donot provide teh best of services in hospitals nor do they care for teh upkeep of hospitals and essential diagnostic machines…does this situation suggest that they require additional benefits…doctors generally are said to be minting money of patients generally…as far as protesting goes they were protesting for political purposes not for some great purpose…teh pictures just depicted mild control measures by police which are necessary when mindless interference in another political event which could result in even more severe riots are anticiapated
have they not read their appointment letter when joining the job? When they accepted the terms and conditions mentioned in the appointment letter at their joining, they should have to do their duties as per those and this type of behavior is really disappointed. Everybody knows how much duty they were and they are doing in the govt hospitals.
just because the gov thinks that the terms and conditions are good does not mean they are its the Drs who have to work the hrs and look after patients in not so well equiped hospitals. its time for change.
After viewing the criminal behavior of young doctors where they assaulted senior doctors , I doubt we should even call these people with the utmosted respected title of “doctor”. I am baffled to see that PMDC has not revoked their medical licenses and their educational institutions have not withdrew their degrees.
With this attitude, I doubt these people can find any employment beside their current government hospital positions. One thing is definite that these people have no regard to patient suffering.
if people do not protest against victimisation, or cruel terms and conditions or try to rectify the wrongs by the dictatorial governmeent, then there would be no improvement in the working conditions. go and study the vicissitudes of labour movements in the world for better working conditions. look at me, i am in grade 17 since 1989, a medical officer despite the fact that i did FCPS in pulmonology in 2003.is there any system working in this country?
To be a doctor in sub continent is really tough, first compete for very scarce seats then get bashed up in medical college, take more degrees, compete more tougher exams and then fight for adequate facilities. Still I would advise all docs to stay away from politics and maintain dignity in their profession and live with it. As a doc myself I consider ourself as fighters and protector of society.
Pakistan has already suffered the massive brain drain of our talented manpower including Doctors these doctors have shown extraordinary professional perfomance in countries like USA. Methods of suppressing them by rude force like police will encurage further brain drain of our educated youth resulting in degradation of our poor health services .
YDA has been involved in ruffles with senior doctors and police before… The police force on the behest of political leadership have acted -for what their famous for- to beat , manhandle etc. So here you see one group with justifiable demands but wrong methods.. While on the other hand , the police with their infamous practices and leaders with their stubbornness. So the question is whether there is any right way to solve the problem?
Number one , it is a challenge for the Political leadership to reach a consensus to end the strike of YDA. Number two, the YDA has made their strike a pain for the patients more than for the government and have defiled the ambience & safety of the hospitals… So, certainly, they should revise their mechanism and use the help of their seniors to end the stalemate.. Without the respect and support of their seniors they cannot end the ongoing crisis… And lastly, they should respect the court orders… Number three, the police is the guardian of the people.. It has to offer its services to control lawlessness… They should have a better approach to deal with such situations.. A better trained , educated and groomed police force is the need of time..
The poor doctors are always pushed back by calling them Maseeha. This label is used to ignore their legitimate rights and to keep their mouths shut. Are these Maseehas do not have families?. When our azaad adliya will take sue moto against their favorite government of punjab on the issue of poor doctors who are suffering so long in the hands of corrupt politicians?.
Drs should demand pay raises but not by withdrawing services and being snobbish about their education. MBBS is just a bachelors degree and does not give an automatic right to higher salary as well as a label of parha likha and superior than others. Drs should learn to be humble and caring for their patients. Our docs are killer, selfish robots killing thousands of patients daily. I wish their should be a malpractice checking authority in Pakistan
If the judges are being bribed by huge increments to their salaries and allowances what is wrong with the doctors who are demanding a genuine increase to their benefits.
I think doctors should start by refusing to treat police and their families.