PIMS doctors indefinite strike
Islamabad:Doctors of the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) Friday announced to go on indefinite strike till reinstatement of the hospital’s former acting executive director (ED), Professor Dr. Ghazala Mehmood, who, along with a security guard, a casualty medical officer and a driver, has been suspended by the Ministry of Health, apparently in view of the twists and turns that led to aggravation of the now-resolved nurses’ crisis.
The doctors continued their — one of the biggest-ever in the history of the hospital — for the second consecutive day on Friday. They skipped OPDs, assembled outdoors to make speeches, and as if that was inadequate, blocked the main road in front of PIMS for about 45 minutes, thereby interrupting traffic flow and causing needless inconvenience to the public.
Joined in their strike by paramedics, postgraduate trainee doctors, as well as the security staff, the doctors have served a 72-hour ultimatum to the Ministry of Health to show compliance to their demand for reinstatement of all four persons whose services have been suspended “without an inquiry being conducted.”
As far as patients are concerned, all those admitted in the hospital for elective surgeries and procedures have been discharged. Emergency and critical care, however, continues to the provided. Furthermore, May 1 being a public holiday, the OPDs will now remain closed for another three consecutive days till Monday. The protesters have announced to resume their protest on May 3 in front of the hospital’s administration block at 9 a.m. They are also demanding that the FIR registered against Dr. Ghazala under sections 279 and 337 should be immediately withdrawn.
Even though the Ministry of Health announced suspension of Dr. Ghazala on Friday night, the hospital administration claims not having received any orders to this effect so far. Talking to ‘The News’ on this issue, Director General Health Dr. Rashid Jooma shared that being a grade-20 officer, her suspension is the prerogative of the prime minister’s office. He said that the ministry has decided to append the report of the inquiry committee to the summary of Dr. Ghazala’s suspension and then forward it to the prime minister by May 6.
The Ministry of Health has constituted a three-member inquiry committee to probe the incident. The committee consists of the head of the Tobacco Control Cell Yusuf Khan, who is expected to return from Egypt today (Saturday), and two other officers of the Ministry of Health namely, deputy director general, international affairs, Dr. Mustafa Haider, and deputy secretary-budget, Saad Sikandar Khan.
Responding to a query about the size and composition of the committee, Dr. Jooma said, the issue at PIMS is not too complex, and as such, does not require a broad-based inquiry. He said, the committee will analyse the event, ascertain where the blame lies, and recommend action to the prime minister and the minister for health.
When questioned about the fate of patients as the strike continues, Dr. Jooma said, “It is very disturbing and sad indeed. The fact that doctors have not suspended emergency services is the only bright side of the dark scenario.” Dr. Jooma said the Ministry of Health is trying its level best to convince doctors to end their strike. We can only advise them and hope for the best,” he said. At the moment, however, there are no signs of sanity prevailing in the ranks of doctors.
In another development, a PIMS Action Committee has been constituted, and the head of paediatric surgery Dr. Zaheer Abbasi has unanimously been selected as its chairman. This 40-member committee comprising doctors, senior administrators, security personnel, paramedics and members of the Young Doctors Association and the Paramedics Association, held its first meeting at PIMS on Friday.
The action committee took several far-reaching decisions: one, that all actions taken by the Ministry of Health should be reverted to the pre-April 28 status; two, that the dignity of everyone related to the medical profession must be upheld; three, that the ED of PIMS must have all the powers to deal with the internal affairs of the hospital and his-her appointment and removal should strictly be government by laid-down rules and regulations; four; that there should not be any confrontation between the medical staff as the underlying desire of all is to seek respect for their respective rights; five, that no elective procedure would be performed till the strike continues.
It is learnt that the committee has already started communicating with doctors’ associations across the country in preparation of bigger action, if required.
Commenting on Dr. Ghazala’s suspension, the president of the Young Doctors’ Association, Dr. Sajid Abbasi, termed it “a one-sided decision.” He said, the Ministry of Health should have conducted an impartial investigation to fix responsibility before resorting to such a drastic measure.” He wondered why the nurses did not resume their duty immediately after Dr. Ghazala tendered her resignation, this being their one-point agenda.
“The nurses are treading on the path of aggression; their demand for registration of an FIR against Dr. Ghazala under section 302 is totally irrational,” Dr. Sajid commented. He said none of the nurses has been injured to the extent being portrayed in the media. The young doctor also regretted that some political personalities are adding fuel to fire by sympathising with the nurses. “They are doing so to reap personal and political benefit out of the situation,” he commented.
One senior consultant suggested that “The Ministry of Health should reinstate Dr. Ghazala, and having done so, should appoint someone else in her place within three days to a week. I can assure you that nobody will protest the decision then, because at the moment, doctors are showing solidarity with her out of the fear of nurses standing up against any one of them in the future.” An interesting analysis, indeed!
On the nurses’ front, the AGPR Friday released a cheque for Rs2.7 million for payment of their pending stipend of March, as well as for April at the existing rate of Rs2,700 per month. Commenting on the development, the principal of the School of Nursing, Bilquees Patras, said: “Enhancement of the stipend is the real issue.”
On the question of having lady doctors vacate the nurses’ hostel, PIMS Joint Executive Director Dr. Jehanzeb Khan Aurakzai said: “We are trying to make suitable alternative arrangements for them and hope to manage this soon.” Interestingly, the lady doctors living in the nurses’ hostel are not infringing on the rights of the nurses, and had been accommodated there because the rooms were lying vacant. As such, this demand of the nurses is also a manifestation of the widening wedge between the doctors and the nurses of PIMS.The news
