KARACHI, Oct 29: Medical fraternity has severely criticised the Dow University of Health Sciences (DUHS) for terminating the services of Dr Shehla Baqi, in-charge of hospital’s isolation unit at the Civil Hospital Karachi (CHK) who was working at the DUHS under the Higher Education Commission’s foreign faculty programme.

The executive committee of the Pakistan Medical Association on Monday unanimously passed a resolution condemning her removal. It also demanded an inquiry into the matters relating to the posting, termination and promotion at the DUHS.

Eulogizing the services of Dr Baqi, doctors at the civil hospital at a meeting said that as the head of the isolation unit, she had taken up a challenging job and improved the state of isolation unit which was in shambles until a year back. She had collected donations and was about to open a state-of-the-art “infectious diseases and isolation unit” at the hospital. “But she was removed from the service before she could accomplish her mission,” they deplored.

“With Unicef’s funding, she was carrying out a study on HIV and now since she has been removed, it’s likely that the donor agency would withdraw financial assistance,” apprehended a senior doctor.

Neither the VC nor Dr Baqi was available for comments on the development. According to her colleagues, the move had shocked Dr Baqi.