Patients suffer amid doctors’ protest

SIALKOT - OPD patients suffered heavily as they were denied treatment by protesting doctors and paramedics at the Government Allama Iqbal Memorial Teaching Hospital for the fifth consecutive day on Monday.  The situation at the hospital worsened after doctors could not get a case registered against those who manhandled some of their colleagues and nurses five days ago. However, the hospital management and local police failed to explain the inordinate delay in registration of the case.  On Monday, doctors and paramedics continued their agitation and strike for the fifth consecutive day. They locked all gates of the hospital to keep OPD patients and their attendants out of the health facility.  The protesting doctors set up a hunger-strike camp on the hospital premises and staged a sit-in to press for registration of a case against those who manhandled and humiliated some on-duty doctors and nurses five days ago. Carrying banners and placards inscribed with different slogans, they chanted anti-police slogans Dr Muhammad Farooq Iqbal, medical superintendent of the Government Allama Iqbal Memorial Teaching Hospital, said: “Yes, treatment was denied to all OPD patients today (Monday) for the fifth consecutive day. However, indoor patients and the patients in critical condition were given medical treatment at the emergency ward.”

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