QUETTA: The government has initiated disciplinary action against doctors and other medical staff for their involvement in closing of hospitals and strikes across the province and suspended many senior doctors, on Wednesday.

The health authorities said the Balochistan high court had already declared the doctors’ strikes illegal and the officer-bearers of the grand alliance had already been warned that they would face disciplinary action in case of court order violation.

In this regard, the government suspended the medical superintendent of the Sandeman Civil Hospital, Quetta, Dr Noorullah Musa­khail, with an immediate effect for 90 days.

A notification issued here said that the services of Dr Noorullah Musakhail has been put under suspension on account of negligence, poor performance and blatant insubordination for the period of 90 days under Section 6 of the BEEDA-2011.

He has also been relieved from the position of director general of MERC Balochistan.

Protesting doctors warn of countrywide protest if FIRs not withdrawn

The health secretary also issued explanation notices to the medical superintendents of the district headquarters hospitals of Zhob, Qila Saifullah, Chaman, and Qila Abdullah.

The official notification issued in this regard said that the health department in a letter warned that whoever tried to forcibly closed down OPDs and other departments or attempted to hamper hospital operations must be identified by the MS of the respective hospitals and brought to the notice of the district administration for legal action and health department for strict disciplinary proceedings.

However, it came to the notice of the competent authorities that while the OPDs and other departments of the hospitals were closed, neither any action had been taken nor the district administration and health department informed about it.

Health Minister Bakhat Mohammad Kakar said that the notices had been served to office-bearers of the grand health alliance and officials concerned.

“It was decided in principle to suspend all those doctors, paramedics and others involved in the strike and boycott of hospitals,” Shahid Rind, the spokesman for the Balochistan government said late on Wednesday evening.

On the other hand, the spokesman for the alliance said that if FIRs registered against the alliance leadership were not withdrawn within the next 48 hours, the Young Doctors Association Pakistan would go on strike across the country.

Published in Dawn, January 16th, 2025