LARKANA: Doctors and paramedics observed a boycott of their duties at the Shaikh Zayed Hospital for Women (SZHW), affiliated with the Chandka Medical College Hospital (CMCH), on Tuesday in protest against harassment of the staff by attendants of a patient a day earlier.

The protest was supported by the local chapters of the Pakistan Medical Associa­tion (PMA), Young Doctors Association (YDA) and Pakistan Paramedical Staff Association.

The protesting staff told the media that a pregnant woman, with a history of birth complications, was brought to the SZHW on Monday evening in a precarious condition and provided proper treatment promptly but she could not survive. Her baby also died during the treatment.

They said the people accompanying the patient blamed doctors and paramedics for the death and started misbehaving with them.

They said they not only insulted the staff but also subjected them to death threats. They said an atmosphere of harassment and fear prevailed at the hospital during the whole episode and the staff had to stop work in such a situation.

On Tuesday, the protesting staff stayed away from their indoor and outpatient duties at the SZHW and held a demonstration outside the hospital building.

They were led by SZHW head Prof Rafia Baloch, Dr Gulzar Tunio, Dr Pirh Sakina Gaad, Dr Irshad Abro and others.

The protesters carried placards and banners inscribed with slogans demanding protection against harassment and threats.

They noted that it had now become a practise by patients’ relatives to accuse doctors and paramedics for any death at the CMCH and its affiliated institutions. Misbehaviour with and even manhandling of hospital staff had become a routine in such cases, they said, adding that they felt insecure while performing their duties in such an atmosphere. Despite repeated appeals to the forums concerned, no proper security was being provided to them, they complained.

They also expressed their concern over insufficient facilities and staff available to the hospital.

The protesters urged the chief minister, health minister, Larkana commissioner and deputy commissioner to address their grievances at the earliest.

They called for updating the existing labour room and ICU, besides arranging for adequate staff and ensuring proper security to doctors and paramedics, especially female ones.

Doctors call on DC

A delegation of doctors led by CMCH medical superintendent Dr Ali Gohar Dahiri held a detailed meeting with Deputy Commissioner Noman Siddiq on Tuesday and apprised him of the conditions prevailing at the medical complex, especially at its emergency unit and the SZHW, sources said.

According to the delegation, the SZHW is overloaded with patients but lacks adequate facilities of oxygen, ultrasound, blood bank etc though a huge budgetary allocation is made every year for the PPHI and NICVD.

The SZHW was established in 1974 when city’s population comprised just 150,000 souls. It has now swelled up to 1.5 million but the facilities are not in line with the volume, according to the delegation.

The delegation urged the DC to order establishment of police pickets at least at the casualty department and SZHW buildings. The DC held out the assurance that it would be done soon.

They DC was informed that doctors and paramedics had been trying to draw the attention of the authorities concerned to the issue of security for the last 10 years. The PPP leadership and certain forums had also been approached but without any response so far, they added.

Meanwhile, MS Dr Dahiri is learnt to have written to the CMCH principal for instituting an inquiry into Monday’s incident in which the patient, Nazia Mirani, and her baby had died and the unpleasant episode took place.

Published in Dawn, December 12th, 2018