MIANWALI, July 31: Medical officer Dr Zafar Iqbal Khan and MS Dr Muhammad Farooq Khan of the DHQ Hospital were held responsible for the death of trader Haji Rustam Khan, an inquiry report said on Tuesday.

Reports said trader Rustam Khan had suffered a heart attack on July 7, 2007 at 12.45pm and was rushed to the emergency ward of the DHQ Hospital where Dr Zafar Iqbal did not attend the patient and referred him to a dispenser, who was absent from duty.

After some time, the dispenser was located who said stretcher was not available. After fetching a stretcher from the ward, the dispenser took the patient to CCU where the air-conditioner was not working as its remote control was in the custody of medical superintendent Dr Farooq. Some attendants of the patient rushed to the official residence of the MS, who was not available there.

They learnt that he was residing at his private house at Kundian after renting out his official residence.

Dr Zafar Iqbal was again apprised of the deteriorating condition of the patient. He attended the trader but the ECG machine was found unserviceable. The doctor left the hospital and kept his cell phone powered off. Thereafter, patient’s attendants brought Dr Aamir Hayat Khan from his private clinic, but Rustam Khan died at 3pm.

Later, his relatives approached the district nazim who ordered a probe. The inquiry team comprised Dr.Abdul Razzaq Khan, district officer (health), and Dr Sajjad Husain, Medical officer of Mooch rural health centre.

The MS had taken exception to the conducting of inquiry against him by officials who were junior to him.

The aggrieved family told this correspondent that they would file a suit for damages against the responsible doctors.

The district nazim and MS were not available for comments.