MULTAN, Dec 5: Doctors and paramedical staff of public and private sector health facilities observed a complete strike throughout the Leiah district on Wednesday.

In an unprecedented show of unity, they protested against political interference in health department affairs and highhandedness of Wapda staff.

They demanded withdrawal of the transfer orders of the DHQ hospital MS, quashment of a false case against doctors and an end to political meddling and victimization of government officials.

They announced that they would observer one-hour strike daily till the acceptance of their demands.

The doctors remained at the place of their duties but did not examine patients. However, emergency health cover was provided at the state-run health facilities like DHQ and THQ hospitals, rural health centres and basic health units.

According to details, DHQ Hospital Medical Superintendent Dr Mukhtiyar Husain Syed belongs to an influential family of Leiah. Owing to some reasons, he does not enjoy cordial relations with former MNA Ghulam Haider Thind, the father-in-law of Leiah district Nazim Shahabuddin Seharr.

The transformer of the DHQ hospital went out of order last month, causing suspension of power supply to the 125-bed health facility. When approached, the local authorities of Wapda informed the MS that the hospital would have to pay Rs157,000 for new transformer.

The hospital management deposited the amount immediately. The hospital management was informed that installation of a new transformer would take some time as the device was only issued from the Multan Electric Power Company headquarters in Multan.

However, a temporary transformer was installed to continue power supply to the hospital.

Led by line superintendent Iqbal Dhalu, a Wapda team later visited the hospital to take over the defected transformer. The MS did not allow the team to take away the transformer because the health department had purchased it last year from Wapda when it had gone out of order.

On Nov 23, Iqbal Dhalu and other Wapda officials again reached the DHQ hospital and repeated their demand. The MS told them that he could not hand over the transformer, which was health department property, to them. He sought a copy of orders, declaring it compulsory to return the device to Wapda against which the consumer had paid the full price.

This annoyed the Wapda officials who severed the electricity supply to the hospital at a time when some patients were being operated upon. The Wapda officials gave a sound thrashing to a hospital peon, Ghulam Farid, when he requested them to restore power supply so that the operations could be completed. He also told them that one of the patients, Gulzar, was a Wapda lineman.

Meanwhile, the hospital’s generator was set into motion.

Enraged over the thrashing of their colleague, some security and paramedical officials of the hospital locked the Wapda officials in a room. Senior doctors of the hospital intervened and the dispute was resolved.

A number of notables and residents of Leiah told this correspondent that Mr Thind had been trying to get Dr Mukhtiyar transferred out of the district since his joining the health department in 1984.

They said Mr Thind found a ‘golden opportunity’ to fulfil his old agenda. On Nov 23, district Nazim Shahabuddin along with Wapda officials reached the DHQ hospital at around about 8pm. The electricity was being supplied through the generator which had by that time started tripping time and again for running several hours without break.

On the occasion, Wapda officials alleged that the hospital management had itself created a fault in the generator to cause troubles for the patients. The Nazim agreed to their stance. However, the electricity supply to the hospital was restored by 8:30pm.

Wapda officials held a protest rally against Dr Mukhtiyar outside the Nazim’s office on Nov 24. The Nazim assured them that ‘justice’ would be done as he knew how the Wapda team was beaten up by the MS and his associates.

Leiah city police registered a case against Dr Mukhtiyar, Dr Zeeshan and other officials of the hospital under Section 342 PPC on the report of Wapda line superintendent Iqbal Dhalu.

Interestingly, some days before the DHQ hospital incident, the Leiah District Council adopted an unanimous resolution against line superintendent Iqbal Dhalu for his alleged involvement in corrupt practices. The resolution was tabled by Ahmed Ali.

Before registration of the case, Nazim Shahabuddin wrote a letter to the Leiah DCO (No PS-I/Nazim, dated 24.11.2001) stating: “After being informed of the incident, I reached the DHQ hospital where a large number of people were protesting against the MS. The protesting people apprised me that Dr Mukhtiyar Shah physically tortured the line superintendent of Wapda...

“The MS switched off the generator after operating it only for two hours causing darkness in the hospital and death of a patient.”

Citing the incident of Wapda officials protest, the Nazim reported that the law and order situation was originated just because of the high-handedness and violent act of MS Dr Mukhtiyar Shah. “Therefore it is recommended that Dr Mukhtiyar should immediately be removed from the post of MS and be directed to report to the health secretary; FIR should be lodged against him and other people involved; and judicial inquiry should be conducted into the death of the patient when the generator was switched off.”

When contacted, some health department officials said the DCO was timely informed on the day of incident. The hospital management had sought DCO’s permission to get a case registered against the members of Wapda team. The DCO directed the hospital management not to do so as he would himself try to handle the situation.

Later, the DCO succumbed to the ‘political pressure’. An aide of Mr Shahabuddin, who did not wish to be named, said: “The DCO will have to get his annual confidential report signed by the Nazim. He (the DCO) had no choice, but to follow the directive of the Nazim.”

Mr Shahabuddin could not be contacted in spite of several attempts till the time of our going to press.