SAHIWAL: The Specialised Healthcare and Medical Education Department (SHMED) has suspended from service additional principal medical officer (PMO) Dr. Umer Farooq, citing inefficiency and misconduct in the Sahiwal Teaching Hospital (STH) fire case.

Additionally, medical superintendent Dr. Akhter Mahboob was transferred on administrative grounds and directed to report to the department for showing negligence related to the fire incident caused by the malfunctioning air-conditioning system on the third floor of the paediatric ward at Sahiwal Teaching Hospital (STH) on the morning of June 9.

In a related move, STH principal Prof. Dr. Imran Hasan has been assigned the additional charge of medical superintendent, replacing Dr. Mahboob Akhter.

Dr. Umer Farooq will also face charges under section 06 of the Punjab Employees Efficiency, Discipline, and Accountability (Peeda) Act for negligence in his official duties.

YDA announces strike in OPDs, general wards today

These administrative actions were taken due to failures in adhering to standard operating procedures (SOPs) while shifting children from the paediatric ward to the emergency ward and for not equipping the ward with functional firefighting equipment on June 9 when the fire broke out on the third floor of children ward.

Reports indicate that four senior officials, including the principal, were verbally terminated from service and arrested on the orders of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz during her visit to the hospital. This led to clashes between police and doctors on the hospital premises.

Following the CM’s verbal orders, the Young Doctors Association (YDA) called for a strike, halting all OPD and other services at Sahiwal Hospital and across Punjab.

The Pakistan Medical Association local chapter also joined YDA. Consequently, all four senior doctors, including the principal, medical superintendent, DMS, and ADMS, were released by Sahiwal DPO Fasil Shahzad after two and a half hours.

Next day more than 236 doctors, senior faculty members, heads of departments, and 36 allied hospital staff collectively submitted their resignations to the principal. They demanded a judicial inquiry into the incident, wanting police to be accounted for brutal action against doctors.

The YDA strike, which was observed not only in Sahiwal but also in other districts of Punjab including Lahore, Pakpattan, Okara, Faisalabad, Vehari, and Rawalpindi, continued for two days, but the situation began to calm down with the onset of the three-day Eid holidays.

In this context, the specialised healthcare department issued new orders, transferring Dr. Akhter Mahboob and initiating Peeda proceedings against Dr. Umer Farooq.

YDA district president Dr Usama told Dawn that there will be strike in OPDs, general wards and only emergency of the hospital will operate on Thursday (today).

The YDA, PMA and allied associations of paramedics have called a joint meeting to evolve future strategy.

Published in Dawn, June 20th, 2024