LAHORE - The Young Doctors Association (YDA) kept emergency of Services Hospital closed on the second day yesterday to protest against raid of Anti-Corruption team for arresting doctors on charges of corruption, causing huge inconvenience to visiting patients and their attendants.
On Monday night, the team raided the hospital for arresting doctors but left empty handed due to strong protest of YDA men. After Dr Atif received injuries due to clash between the raiding team and young doctors, the YDA immediately closed down emergency of Services Hospital and announced to go on strike from Tuesday. Young doctors forcibly closed the emergency and Out-Patient Department (OPD) of Services Hospital yesterday, leaving patients with no option except to approach other hospitals for treatment. The YDA, however, failed to shut the emergency and OPD of other hospitals in Lahore due to resistance from management and differences among young doctors. There are reports of partial strike at some hospitals in other districts. Addressing a press conference, the YDA leaders put a precondition of removal of health secretary for resumption of emergency services at Services Hospital. They claimed that the government move was aimed at stopping young doctors from starting ‘one bed, one patient’ campaign. As per the anti corruption department, 17 administrative and other doctors of BPS-17 to BPS-19 and officials at different levels were allegedly involved in embezzlement of Rs75 million in payment of cafeteria bills from hospital’s kitty and purchase of medicines and fuel. A circle officer conducted preliminary inquiry and got an FIR registered against the accused.