SUKKUR: All employees of the Govt Anwar Piracha Hospital, Sukkur, on Tuesday joined in the strike by doctors and paramedics which entered its fourth day on Tuesday.

The strike is being observed against the alleged maltreatment of the hospital’s medical superintendent (MS), Dr Iqbal Ahmed Siddiqui, by Sukkur Deputy Commissioner Raheem Bux Maitlo and police. A couple of days earlier, the DC had verbally asked the MS to spare two doctors for polio vaccination drive but the MS sought a written request which infuriated the DC.

According to the MS, he was escorted to the DC office and then to the SSP office by police like a suspected criminal.

All sections of the hospital, including OPD and operating theatres, remained closed on Tuesday as the protesting staff stayed away from their duties and took part in a rally which was taken out from the hospital and terminated at the local press club. The participants kept raising slogans against the DC and demanding an unconditional apology from him.

Speaking to them, some doctors urged the authorities concerned to take appropriate action against the DC for using indecent language, resorting to maltreatment of the MS and using police to harass him. They demanded immediate removal of the DC.

A large number of in-house and visiting patients have been suffering due to the absence of consultation and treatment facilities at the hospital for four days.

Published in Dawn, December 20th, 2017