LAHORE: The Young Doctors Association Punjab resumed duties at the emergency department of the Services Hospital on Friday.

The indoor and outdoor departments will remain closed till a final decision of the YDA’s general council meeting.

The announcement came from two senior office-bearers of the YDA Punjab -- general secretary Dr Altamash Kharal and joint secretary Dr Shoaib Khan Niazi -- at the second press conference held at the Services Hospital on Friday. In the earlier press conference the same day, the YDA leaders had warned that emergency would remain closed till the withdrawal of corruption cases against their leaders.

A group of medics had shut down emergency department of the Services Hospital on Feb 20, forcing the critically ill patients to leave it. They allegedly turned offensive towards serious patients of emergency department when a team of the Anti-Corruption Establishment tried to arrest senior doctor Atif Majeed for his alleged involvement in embezzlement of medicines that were to be issued to the poor patients visiting the health facility.

“The Director General of Anti-Corruption Establishment gave us sympathetic hearing in the corruption case against our colleagues,” said Dr Altamash while talking to the media. He said the health authorities also agreed to hear the genuine demands of the protesting doctors.

“As both the departments have agreed to accept our demands, we have decided to resume our duties as a goodwill gesture,” the YDA general secretary announced.

Dr Shoaib Niazi demanded reinstatement of his sacked colleagues at the Mayo Hospital.

The YDA leaders said the emergency services were being resumed on a temporary basis. The final decision would be taken on the basis of the decision of the YDA general council meeting.

Published in Dawn, February 25th, 2017