LAHORE: The move to purge the medical fraternity of the ‘disgruntled’ segment began on Friday when 47 Young Doctors Association (YDA) activists - 11 post-graduate (PG) trainee doctors and 36 house officers – were shown the door.

The extreme measure was taken by the disciplinary committees of the administrations of healthcare institutions concerned on the recommendations of their academic councils, said a spokesperson for the health department.

Six house officers of Lahore General Hospital, five each of Jinnah Hospital, Services Hospital (Lahore), Shaikh Zayed Hospital (Rahim Yar Khan), Allied Hospital, District Headquarters Hospital (Faisalabad) and Aziz Bhatti Hospital (Gujrat), one PG trainee doctor each of Allied Hospital, district headquarters hospital (Faisalabad), Punjab Institute of Cardiology (Lahore), two each of Lahore General Hospital, Shaikh Zayed Hospital (Rahim Yar Khan), Services Hospital (Lahore) and Aziz Bhatti Hospital Gujrat, were the list of the sacked medics.

The spokesperson said the administrations of medical colleges have been asked to hold meetings of their academic councils every day and forward to the disciplinary committees names of the trouble-makers. The medical superintendents of teaching hospitals would also submit on a daily basis reports containing names of medics creating hindrance in healthcare delivery.

The YDA leadership was given a last warning by senior medics to resume duty on Friday morning. The YDA activists did reach Services and Jinnah hospitals but instead of resuming work started forcibly discharging patients from the wards.

Later, YDA activists gathered outside the emergency department of Services Hospital and started marching on Jail Road. Carrying placards and chanting slogans against the health department high-ups, the marchers had reached in front of the PIC emergency when they started dispersing as someone broke the news to them that sacking of strikers has begun.

Also, a number of PG trainee doctors told their supervisors at the Children’s Hospital and Institute of Child Health in Lahore that they found no justification or reason for strike but they were forced to stay away because of the continuous harassment from YDA activists.

Quoting the PG trainees, the supervisors informed the academic council that their students were feeling insecure while performing their duties.

Meanwhile, strongly condemning the incidents, the faculty members urged the disciplinary committee to investigate the matter and submit recommendations by Saturday. The faculty also requested the PG trainees that they should join their duties immediately while asking the hospital administration to ensure their security by taking special measures.

Published in Dawn, August 5th, 2017