KARACHI, March 13: Nearly all major hospitals and health institutions, both private and public, remained closed on Wednesday in protest against killing of doctors in the city.

However, only emergency units remained operational, except in Abbasi Shaheed Hospital. The Aga Khan University Hospital was the only hospital where clinics and out-patient departments were held.

The strike was staged on the call of the Pakistan Medical Association which has also called a one-hour token strike for Thursday, from 10am to 11am.

Wednesday’s strike saw all doctors and paramedics defying the warning issued by the Sindh health minister who had said on Tuesday that those who took part in the strike would be dismissed.

Work at the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital remained completely suspended in protest against the killing of ENT specialist Dr Anwarul Islam.

There were long queues of patients at other public-sector hospitals, such as Civil Hospital, Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases and National Institute of Child Health.

Police mobiles were also posted outside all the major hospitals on Wednesday to deal with any untoward situation during the strike. About 13,000 doctors and 60,000 paramedics participating in the strike also wore black arm bands.

A large number of patients who were not aware of the strike had turned up at major city hospitals and waited in vain for several hours before returning home. Many of them, in obvious discomfort, were seen sitting in the open.

The heat and the sun also had an aggravating effect on many of them as the OPD units with shades for waiting patients were locked. Moreover, because of a lack of accurate information at the major public sector hospitals, many patients also opted to wait for many hours, in the hope of seeing a doctor.

A protest meeting of doctors was also held at the PMA House on Wednesday evening where people associated with the medical profession condemned the killing of 85 doctors in recent years. They also criticized the government for failing to do anything to curb violence.

The meeting, however, failed to reach a consensus on adoption of a definite action plan and ended abruptly with an announcement by Karachi PMA President Prof Tipu Sultan saying that doctors would observe a token strike from 10am to 11am on Thursday and from 10am to 12 noon on Friday.

Pakistan Association for Mental Health president Prof Haroon Ahmed said the situation warranted formation of pressure groups to work for an end to the killing of doctors. He was of the view that a broad-based networking, involving all segments of society, was an essential step in this regard.

The discord at the meeting also highlighted the need for unity among medical professionals, especially in the prevailing crisis situation. A scuffle also broke out at the meeting when a doctor from AKU tried to convince the meeting about doctors observing strike at AKU.

Doctors were also urged to participate in a protest demonstration at Regal Chowk on Saturday at 4pm. The demonstration, to be organized by the action Committee for Civic Problems, will protest killings of doctors and attempt to put pressure on the government to protect the lives of the doctors and arrest those responsible for the killings.

A central executive committee meeting of the PMA, to be held in Peshawar on Sunday, will also discuss the situation in Karachi and chalk out an action plan.

Representatives of the Pakistan Islamic Medical Council, Pakistan Dental Association and the Sindh Para Medical Staff Association also spoke at the meeting and declared support for the decisions and action plans of the PMA.

A general body meeting of a doctors’ association was also held at the JPMC on Wednesday to protest against the killing of doctors, adds PPI.

The meeting was addressed by JPMC director Prof Kazi Abdul Shakoor, NICH director Prof Zeenat Shah, PMA secretary general Dr Habib-ur-Rehman Soomro, senior professors and others.