LAHORE: The Punjab health department has handed down major punishments to several doctors of the Services Hospital, Lahore, including the medical superintendent and a teacher, in the light of an inquiry into the death of a young patient, declaring the Young Doctors Association (YDA) members, facing charges of negligence and torture of patients, innocent.

The action was taken after the chief minister accorded approval to the report of the inquiry conducted by health Additional Secretary Asif Tufail.

Chief Minister Usman Buzdar had ordered an inquiry into the death of a young patient, Hamid, who walked into the emergency ward of the Services Hospital Lahore on Jan 14 and later died there.

The patient’s relatives had alleged the doctors had declared that Hamid was ‘received dead’ despite the fact he was shown entering the hospital on foot in the CCTV footage.

Following the death, the situation turned ugly when many members of the Young Doctors Association (YDA) reached the emergency ward and allegedly tortured the patient’s attendants for lodging protest against the medics’ negligence.

The issue had drawn strong criticism against health authorities for flawed patient care at the state-run hospitals, medics torturing the attendants and the Punjab government’s failure to ensure better healthcare to the patients.

However, the inquiry report shifted most of the burden of negligence onto hospital MS Dr Ahtishamul Haq and spared the YDA members. The MS had complained that the YDA members had suspended the emergency services in the wake of the patient’s death.

In his letter to the health department and various other authorities, including the Pakistan Medical Commission (PMC), Islamabad, Mr Haq had strongly recommended action against four YDA members on multiple charges proved against them.

In the letter he mentioned that the four YDA members had been suspending the hospital’s emergency services in the past as well, putting lives of critical patients at risk.

However, ignoring his recommendations, the inquiry officer declared the YDA members innocent and proposed action against Dr Haq, mentioning that his act of writing against the YDA office-bearers was against the department’s policy.

On Monday, the Punjab Specialized Healthcare and Medical Education Department (SH&MED) withdrew the services of Dr Haq as MS and directed him to report to the department for further action.

The department also ordered action against Dr Haq under PEEDA Act for his “failure” to respond to the incident (the patient’s death) at the accident and emergency department.

The department also transferred Dr Mohammad Imran, the head of the medicine department at the Services Hospital, and directed him to report to the health department. The SH&MED also ordered an inquiry against Dr Imran under PEEDA Act, holding him responsible for the incident as his unit was on call at that time in the emergency ward. Following the inquiry report, the services of Dr Imran as a short term Covid-19 consultant have also been terminated.

Similarly, the services of Senior Medical Officer (SMO) Dr Ijazul Hassan Sandhu and Medical Officer Dr Furhaj Mueen have been repatriated to the Primary & Secondary Healthcare Department (P&SHD).

The SH&MED also recommended to the P&SHD secretary to place under suspension the two doctors and initiate action against them Under Rule 6 of PEEDA Act 2006.

It also terminated postgraduate training of Dr Imran and Dr Imtiaz Ahamd, on account of misconduct and indiscipline.

Published in Dawn, February 8th, 2022