SWABI: Patients suffered as doctors of major hospitals here in the district went on strike on Friday against the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government’s plan to privatise the public sector hospitals. They claimed that the government had already taken numerous steps in this direction.

Talking to this correspondent, the protesting doctors said that the government had planned to convert the health institutions into fund-generating units.

They said that it had also been planned by the government to create the district health authority that would run all affairs of the hospitals at the district level and this body would be headed by politicians who would induct their own people in the health units.

Vow to resist govt’s plan to privatise hospitals

The doctors threatened to suspend emergency services if the government failed to review its policy.

During a visit to the district headquarters hospital, Topi tehsil headquarters hospital and Bacha Khan Hospital Complex, Shahmansoor, this correspondent noted that patients who were unaware of the strike reached for treatment, but returned homes frustrated without any checkup.

The strike caused cancellation of surgeries while the outpatient department (OPD) remained closed. When the patients reached the local hospitals the paramedical staff told them that the doctors were on strike. Also, the patients admitted to different wards were left at the mercy of paramedical staff.

One Umer Shahzad said that he brought his ailing mother to the THQ hospital, but the staff informed him that there was no doctor in the OPD due to the strike.

The situation was no different in Bacha Khan hospital where people were seen roaming around in search of doctors.

The protesting doctors claimed that privatisation of health units was planned by bureaucrats.

Meanwhile, speaking at Swabi Electronic Media Association’s ‘Meet the Press’ programme on Friday, Prof Dr Fasihuzzaman, principal of Gajju Khan Medical College, Swabi, and Bacha Khan hospital MS Dr Rehmanullah said that they would continue to perform their job with dedication.

“I am a professor and would focus on imparting quality medical education to the youngsters,” he said. He said that the PMDC had recognised the Gajju Khan Medical College and only 50 students would be inducted in each session.

Dr Rehmanullah said that they would provide proper treatment to the patients of the district at Bacha Khan hospital and they would not be referred to Peshawar hospitals without any cogent reason.

Published in Dawn, April 27th, 2019