DADU: Doctors and paramedics boycotted work at outpatient department of the district headquarters hospital on Wednesday in protest against ransacking of the facility by an angry mob after the death of a woman and attacks on staff a day before.

The protesters staged a demonstration outside the hospital’s gate and demanded immediate arrest of the people responsible for the attack on the health facility.

Dr Atiq Janwari, Dr Saddam, Achar Panhwar and Raja Rafiq Panhwar, who led the protest, said they would continue the boycott till all the suspects were arrested.

They called for beefing up security for hospital staff over increasing incidents of attacks.

Dr Mohammad Bakhsh, medical superintendent, condemned the attack and pointed out that even during wartime, hospitals were considered neutral zones and off-limits to violence.

He disclosed that equipment and machinery worth over Rs40 million had been damaged in the attack. This was the second such incident within just a month in which doctors and paramedics had been subjected to violence and property had been damaged on a wide scale, he said.

“We demand immediate action, and we need to be assured of our safety to continue providing healthcare,” said the MS.

Dadu deputy commissioner has sought a detailed report on the incident, while a case has been registered under the Anti-Terrorism Act against three identified and 20 unidentified persons involved in violence and destruction at the DHQ.

Published in Dawn, November 21st, 2024