LAHORE, March 25: Sir Ganga Ram Hospital's Radiology Department doctors and trainees have refused to work under their head, it is learnt.

More than 30 doctors, including associate professor, senior registrar, registrars, FCPS radiologists, medical officers and post-graduate trainees, have submitted a joint application to the Punjab Chief Minister and Health Department, leveling some serious allegations of misconduct against Prof Dr Safdar Ali Malik. They also threatened to tender en bloc resignations.

Rejecting their protest, FJMC acting principal Prof Rasheed Chaudhry says some junior doctors belonging to the Young Doctors Association (YDA) are politicising a transfer matter for their vested interest .

He said the YDA launched the campaign against Dr Safdar Malik when radiologist Dr Saima Ameer, who was working as an associate professor on current charge basis with the Radiology Department, was asked to work against her original post of medical officer after the expiry of her term.

The radiology doctors took the step after a months-long 'row' with Prof Safdar Malik who, they alleged, was victimising the FCPS radiologists. Sources said Dr Saima's transfer 'added fuel to the fire'.

The Fatima Jinnah Medical College/Sir Ganga Ram Hospital principal constituted a six-member committee of senior doctors to resolve the dispute but in vain.

Dr Hashim Niazi, one of the protesting doctors, alleged that Prof Malik had victimised Dr Saima when she refused to nominate him for fellowship.

Dr Niazi alleged that a costly and modern ultrasound machine had been removed from the radiology department. Prof Malik replaced the new machine by an old one to hush up the matter. He said a probe in this regard was under way by the Anti-Corruption Establishment. He said junior radiologists were forced to work at Dr Malik's private clinic without any payment.

“We have sought a third party audit of the radiology department”, he said.

Prof Safdar Malik strongly denied all the allegations saying that two junior radiologists, Dr Hashim and Dr Adnan, were provoking other doctors against him.

He said these two doctors had launched a movement against him through the YDA platform since he had transferred them from his department to the emergency department some six months ago due to their misconduct and rude behaviour with seniors.

He dispelled the impression that he had victimised Dr Saima Ameer for not recommending him for fellowship saying that she was a medical officer and was working as associate professor on current charge basis. After lapse of her tenure as associate professor, he asked her to bring new orders from the authorities concerned or work as medical officer in the radiology department. Dr Saima, however, took it to her heart and got herself transferred to her previous pharmacology department. He said he was not behind this transfer. He said the YDA office-bearers later forced her to join their movement against him.

“Dr Hashim and Dr Adnan are taking signatures of all the doctors of my department at gunpoint”, Dr Safdar Malik alleged.

He further said he had been paying all those Sir Ganga Ram Hospital doctors who worked at his private hospital and had evidence of payment in the form of cheques and bank drafts.

A junior doctor was paid Rs40,000 for three hours duty at his clinic which was a handsome amount, he said.