PESHAWAR: The three young doctors terminated by the Lady Reading Hospital, a medical teaching institution, for hampering patient care through protests have said they will challenge the sackings in the court of law.

Representing the Young Doctors’ Association, they insisted they didn’t disrupt the hospital’s operation and that their termination was an act of revenge on part of the administration.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa YDA president Dr Gulab Noor, a medical officer at the LRH, told Dawn that he along with two trainee medical officers, including Dr Hameed and Dr Amjad, were sacked without being given a chance for explanation.

Insist they held peaceful protests as their right to press govt for meeting their demands

“We’ll request the court for relief telling it we held peaceful protests in line with our legitimate right to press the government for meeting our demands. The administration’s decision to terminate our services is arbitrary,” he told Dawn.

LRH director Dr Khalid Masud, however, said the action against young doctors had been taken in line with the government’s rules and that the sacked medics were given enough time to explain their respective positions on the matter.

He said the administration would produce the evidence of the young doctors hampering patient care at the hospital.

“We are ready to produce in the court the videos showing how they (sacked young doctors) obstructed the working of the hospital and forced the closure of operation theatres and outpatients departments,” he said.

The LRH director said the hospital would also inform the court about the number of surgeries, diagnostic procedures and examinations postponed due to the young doctors’ protests.

“They (three young doctors) didn’t appear before the inquiry committee despite intimation and instead furnished written reply to the charge claiming their protests were peaceful and didn’t create obstacles to patient care.

Dr Khalid said only a few doctors were in the habit of holding protests, who forced others to lock down facilities, but that wouldn’t be allowed as the LRH was required to cater to around 5,000 patients seen by doctors in OPDs on the production of Rs20 slips.

“Strikes by doctors at the hospital affect only poor people, who cannot visit private clinics,” he said.

For the last two months, the protesting doctors have been facing action.

Earlier, not only doctors but paramedics, nurses and class-IV employees, too, closed down the hospitals.

Last month, the administration of the Hayatabad Medical Complex, another MTI, deployed police after protesting doctors tried to close down OPDs and diagnostic rooms.

The same month, the LRH administration deployed police to handle doctors trying to suspend services. The police action ensured the smooth functioning of the hospital unlike the past when the protesting staff members faced no resistance.

On July 19, nine employees, including five doctors and two nurses, and as many operation theatre assistants were suspended when they filmed the dripping of operation theatre roof and released footage to the electronic media.

The LRH’s new building was handed over to the administration last year. However, the administration complained to the communication and works department about the faulty construction, said Dr Khalid said.

He said the inquiry into the footage leak had been completed and that action would taken against the relevant officials.

Dr Khalid added that only one of the six OTs had a roof dripping problem and that the staff members should have informed the administration about it.

Sources in the administration claimed the video footage was illegal as employees weren’t allowed to keep cellphones during duty hours. They also said the footage could cause trouble for many as they didn’t wear caps and gowns.

YDA president Dr Gulab Noor said the young doctors had set up a protest camp away from the hospital two months ago just to convey their demands to the government in a peaceful manner for action.

“We have been waiting in vain for a meeting with PTI chairman Imran, who had invited us in a video message. We’ll hold protest at the LRH on July 27, which will be extended to the entire province,” he said.

Dr Gulab also said as a last resort, the YDA would stage a sit-in outside Imran Khan’s mansion in Bani Gala, Islamabad.

Published in Dawn, July 23rd, 2017