ISLAMABAD: A recent protest by young doctors at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) during the visit of a team sent by the federal ombudsperson has divided the medical fraternity at the largest public-sector hospital into two camps.

Both camps claim affiliation with the Young Doctors Association (YDA). According to one group, the protest against the management during the visit of the delegation was an “undemocratic attitude”, whereas the protesters believed that it was their legitimate right to protest against shortcomings at the hospital since they had been left with no option.

As a delegation of the ombudsperson office visited the hospital earlier this week, the doctors resorted to a protest against the acting executive director, Rana Imran Sikander, for the purported mismanagement at the hospital and lack of facilities. They lodged complaints against the acting executive director and alleged that the management was portraying a wrong picture of the hospital through “whitewashing” the building and some other face-lifting measures. The doctors also converged outside the ED office and raised slogans due to which the meeting between the delegation and the ED was disrupted.

In response to this protest, a group of doctors, including Dr Waqar, Dr Syed Saad, Pir Junaid Shah, Dr Hashir, Dr Sanabel, Dr Farhan, and Dr Allahdad, claiming to be part of ‘YDA Freedom Fighters’ shared a joint statement, condemning the protest. They said in their meeting with the delegation they discussed the issues faced by doctors.

“We raised the issue of non-payment of salaries and requested the FO [federal ombudsperson] to play his role for the payment. We also discussed the issue of air-conditioning and electricity bills. Another issue discussed by us was the issue of accommodation which should be provided to all doctors,” the statement shared by the group said. It claimed that the other group instead of highlighting the issues faced by doctors raised slogans against the ED.

When contacted, Dr Haider Abbasi – who was among the protesters along with Dr Tariq, Dr Sher Ali, Dr Arsalan, Dr Haidar Abbasi, and Dr Imran Zaib – alleged that the management was deploying a ‘divide and rule’ policy and the ‘freedom fighter’ faction was in fact aligned with the acting ED.

“The fact is that over a year has passed but Islamabad’s largest hospital is being run without a permanent ED… the management has been deliberately trying to get political support to make the ED permanent. A policy of divide and rule is being implemented,” he said.

Dr Abbasi said that Dr Arsalan was the YDA president at Pims and Dr Tariq was the YDA president for the Islamabad chapter, who stopped the ED in front of the ombudsperson’s adviser, Ahmed Farooq, and highlighted the issues faced by the hospital.

“The only recognised YDA all over Pakistan is the Young Doctor Association.

“The ‘YDA freedom fighter’ is not an association but rather a faction aligned with the Executive Director, aimed at dividing young doctors,” he claimed. Dr Abbasi said that the prime minister should take notice and appoint a permanent and “non-political” executive director to end the chaos.

Published in Dawn, June 28th, 2024