KASUR: The health department on Friday initiated inquiry into the death of a minor allegedly due to negligence of the doctor on duty that later sparked a protest at Chunian THQ Hospital on Thursday.

This is the third death in a week at the same hospital owing to doctors’ alleged negligence.

According to the complainant, on Thursday, Mudassar of Alnoor Colony in Chunian had taken his three-month-old daughter Ume Hadia to the hospital with a fever.

Without checking the baby, the doctor asked untrained staff to administer an injection to her. He alleged that owing to the wrong injection, his daughter died in a few minutes.

When his family members learnt about the incident, they rushed to the THQ hospital but were forced out of the premises. They placed the baby’s body outside the main gate of the hospital and staged a demonstration and shouted slogans against the hospital staff and administration.

Later, locals also joined the protest and expressed their concern over the negligence of doctors and presence of untrained staff. They also said the attitude of doctors and paramedical staff towards patients and their attendants was harsh.

On the assurance of the local administration that a case would be registered against negligent doctors and staff, the protesters dispersed peacefully.

On Monday, doctors had gone on a strike after a clash with attendants of a patient allegedly due to delay in checking the patient.

A case was registered against 14 suspects, including 10 unidentified, at Chunian City police station.

Four attendants of a minor patient had a row with the doctors for not attending to the patient despite repeated requests. Following the incident the doctors went on strike demanding registration of a case and arrest of the attendants. Police filed a case the same day, but on Tuesday the suspects got interim bails after which the doctors went on strike again and demanded arrests.

The doctors returned to duty on the assurance of the local administration that justice would be done. During the strike on Monday, Hameeda Bibi, 60, died at the hospital for not receiving treatment.

The chief minister’s team had reached the spot and held an inquiry into her death.

Published in Dawn, April 28th, 2018