FAISALABAD: As many as 80pc doctors have stopped their private practice due to the threat of Covid-19 and others may also follow suit due to indifference of the district administration, claim two medical associations.

The Pakistan Medical Association and the Medical Teachers Association have reacted to sealing of a private hospital by the district administration.

On Wednesday evening, Assistant Commissioner (city) Syed Ayub Bukhari visited Bashir Hospital on Bakkar Mandi Road and questioned the staff about Dr Arshad who was suffering from Covid-19. Dr Humaira, wife of Dr Arshad, told the AC that her husband had not been attending the patients although his Covid-19 reports were cleared now and he had been tested negative.

Through a handout, the district administration said the hospital had been sealed and samples of the hospital staff had been taken for Covid-19 tests. It said the AC visited the hospital on being informed that hospital owner Dr Arshad had been running hospital although he had been suffering from Covid-19. When he visited the hospital, Dr Arshad was not present and his wife and son Dr Saim were running the hospital. More than 20 patients were also present in the hospital.

Dr Humaira said her family members did not undergo coronavirus test and the team of health department was immediately summoned and samples were collected. The hospital had been sealed till availability of reports, the handout said.

Earlier, it said the health department team had gone to the hospital for samples of the family, however, the family did not cooperate and made the employees return without samples. The health department informed the deputy commissioner about this issue and he sent the AC to the hospital.

To discuss the issue of sealing of the hospital, PMA office-bearers including its patron-in-chief Dr Tufail Muhammad, president Dr Soulat Nawaz, secretary Dr Muhammad Irfan, MTA Secretary Dr Khurram Sohail Raja and others held a meeting. Dr Irfan sharing the viewpoint of the participants said we all condemned the district administration for sealing of the hospital as people were facing numerous problems. A majority of the doctors had stopped their private practice, he said.

He said the bureaucracy was creating problems rather than solving the issues and more than 200 doctors had fallen a victim to Covid-19 as officials had failed to provide PPEs to them. He said doctors were fighting on the frontline for the patients but the bureaucracy was hatching conspiracies against the doctors.

Dr Irfan said Covid-19 test of Dr Arshad had tested negative about five days ago and it was unwise to seal the clinic and threaten his family after the tests. Sealing of the hospital and depriving people of the treatment facility caused great concern and outrage in the medical community, he added.

“Doctors are risking their lives and the lives of their families by fighting against Covid-19 and many doctors have given their lives. Instead of acknowledging their sacrifices and services, the district administration is taking action against the doctors,” he deplored.

Dr Irfan demanded that the district administration should unseal the hospital without any delay otherwise they would announce their next course of action.

A district administration officer said the action had been taken as patients were being treated by the people who had not undergone the Covid-19 tests. He said efforts were being made to protect the lives of the masses.

Published in Dawn, June 12th, 2020