MINGORA: Local people on Sunday demanded of the government to take strict action against the ‘negligent and misbehaving’ staff of the Saidu Teaching Hospital (STH).

They made the demand after a heart patient, Karim Bakhash, a resident of Khwazakhela who was in critical condition, was taken to the ICU of STH on Saturday evening, but he died after staying there for over two hours without receiving any medical treatment.

His death sparked protest by the relatives who chanted slogans against the medical staff and the hospital administration.

They also blocked the main Saidu-Mingora road in protest.

Saidu Sharif Tehsil Nazim Khalid Mahmood condemned the irresponsible attitude of the medical staff and said poor people of Swat were fed up with the persistent negligence of the employees in STH.

“It is sad that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has turned a blind eye to the constant negligence of the medical staff,” he said, adding the provincial government failed to bring the promised change to the lives of people.

He said poor patients and their attendants were misbehaved by the medical staff, adding protests by the people fell on deaf years as neither the hospital administration nor the provincial government were bothered about people’s concerns.

Niaz Ahmad, a resident of Mingora, said majority of medical staff, including doctors, had developed the habit of misbehaving with patients and their attendants.

“Doctors as well as paramedics observe deliberate delay in treatment of even serious patients, but the authorities concerned are unmoved,” he deplored.

When contacted, medical superintendent Maqsood Ahmad said a class-IV employee and a nurse who were on duty that night had been suspended while an inquiry committee set up to probe the alleged negligence of the concerned physician. “Once I receive the inquiry report, legal action will be taken against the guilty persons,” he promised.

Published in Dawn, September 19th, 2016