MULTAN: Doctors and paramedics of the Children Hospital and Institute of Child Health on Saturday called off their strike after reconciliation with a PTI MPA.

The doctors on Thursday gave the administration 48 hours to cancel the suspension orders of hospital’s Deputy Medical Superintendent Dr Syed Shahid Hassan Shah while threatening that they would boycott their duties if their demands were not met. Dr Shah was suspended from service after an MPA filed a privilege motion against him and others.

A delegation of doctors held a meeting with MPA Sabeen Gul at the residence of Punjab Minister for Energies Dr Akhtar Malik and the MPA assured them that she would withdraw her privilege motion. The doctors tendered apology from the MPA for hurting her feelings.

The doctors said they had called off their strike keeping in view the hardships of the patients.

Hospital’s Dean Dr Mukhtar Hussain led the doctors’ delegation that included MS Dr Mazharul Khaliq and DMS Dr Shah.

Dr Hussain through a press release stated that the MPA agreed to withdraw the privilege motion without any condition.

“Both sides apologised over hurting the feelings of each other. I reject their resignations,” he stated.

On Oct 3, the Punjab government had suspended DMS Dr Syed Shahid Hassan Shah after PTI MPA Sabeen Gul filed a privilege motion against him in the Punjab Assembly. She stated that she went to the hospital on July 4 to have her daughter examined and the MS directed Dr Shah to take her to Dr Sadia Khan for medical checkup of the ailing girl.

She alleged that Dr Shah showed displeasure and after causing unnecessary delay took her to Assistant Professor Dr Khan who was busy chatting with her friends and asked her to leave her room saying she was “checking patients.”

She stated when she complained to the MS about the attitude of both doctors, he expressed his inability to take action against them.

Published in Dawn, October 20th, 2019