LAHORE: The closure of outpatient departments (OPDs) of five public sector hospitals in Lahore because of strike by the Young Doctors’ Association (YDA) following the mysterious death of a female medic in the hostel of the Lady Willingdon Hospital is causing immense difficulties for the patients visiting these facilities.
The YDA had given a call for the strike after Dr Nasim Ijaz (30) was found dead in her room in the doctors' hostel of the hospital on March 25, suspending work at the OPDs of Lady Willingdon, Lady Aitchison Hospital, Mayo Hospital, Services Hospital and Kot Khawaja Saeed Hospital.
Dr Nasim belonged to Gilgit-Baltistan and had been living in the hospital’s hostel for the last four years.
The late doctor’s family had said she died of “natural causes” and stopped the authorities from taking further action in this regard. Police had launched a probe to ascertain the cause of the death.
However, YDA had been demanding an inquiry into the matter and staged a protest, prompting the Punjab caretaker government to remove Lady Willingdon medical superintendent Dr Sabahat from the post.
Health Secretary Dr Ahmad Javed Qazi is reportedly reluctant to give his stance on the matter.
The YDA strike and shutdown of the OPDs at five major city hospitals have caused a great inconvenience to thousands of patients and their attendants, many of whom visit these facilities from far-flung areas of Punjab.
The patients and other visitors deplored the strike and said they have come from faraway places for medical treatment after paying high transport fares and making other expenses for their food and stay, but were denied medical care.
They complained that even the nursing staff, ward boys and computer operators have also left their work due to the strike.
Meanwhile, the removal of Lady Willingdon medical superintendent has caused a serious concern among senior doctors serving in other government hospitals.
The YDA says the OPDs of Jinnah Hospital, Lahore General Hospital, Gangaram, Shahdara Hospital and other government hospitals are functional.
They demanded the government should immediately announce the ‘martyr package’ for Dr Nasim ijaz.
