THE stand-off between the Punjab government and protesting doctors and nurses has now entered a critical point, with serious implications for patient care. Over two dozen have been dismissed and several others penalised after striking healthcare workers shut down OPDs across the province for nearly a month. Punjab’s actions are clearly intended to break the momentum of a dangerous situation: over half a million patients — most of them poor — were reportedly turned away during the last 10 days alone. This is a failure of both sides: the state, for not engaging meaningfully with the protesters earlier, and the doctors, for abandoning their professional duty in pursuit of their demands. The doctors’ objections stem from recent reforms that outsource administrative powers — for example, over salaries, transfers, and pensions — from the health department to newly empowered boards of management. While public servants have the right to voice workplace grievances, resorting to strikes that block care for vulnerable patients is ethically indefensible.

At the same time, the state’s approach must be questioned. The use of police to forcibly clear protest camps, arrest scores of healthcare professionals and even reportedly terminate the postgraduate training of some doctors will only lead to more indignation. Pakistan already suffers from a healthcare vacuum. With just one doctor for over 1,200 patients, it can scarcely afford to shed skilled personnel, especially in public hospitals that serve the poor. However, it is equally important to underline that no doctor — no matter how justified their complaints — has the right to deny treatment to those in need. The right to protest must never come at the cost of patient welfare. The way forward lies in balancing accountability and negotiation. The government must resist the temptation to punish en masse, and instead, engage with the healthcare professionals. The protesting doctors must uphold their Hippocratic Oath — even while agitating for their rights. It is not a zero-sum game.

Published in Dawn, May 2nd, 2025