LAHORE - Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital and Research Centre (SKMCH&RC) on Friday cancelled international symposium on oncology following protest demonstration of Young Doctors Association (YDA) and six trainees terminated by the institution.
The ‘13th Skaukat Khanam Cancer Hospital Symposium’ was cancelled on its first day after demonstrators vandalism amid symposium proceedings at a local hotel. Addressing a hurriedly called press conference at SKMCH&RC on Friday, Chief Executive Officer of the hospital Dr Faisal Sultan criticised demonstrators for disrupting an international educational moot for vested interests. He said that symposium had been called off since foreign guests were horrified after vandalism at the hotel.
Dr Faisal Sultan condemned the vandalism, saying that it had created a bad image of Pakistan. He said that symposium was entirely an academic exercise in which several foreign researchers had to present their contributions and researches on cancer treatment. He warned demonstrators of legal action if they did not stop harassing SKMCH administration and creating noise in and around the institution. He said that only few members of YDA were involved in breaking windows and creating noise at the hotel while symposium had started. \He said that consultant oncologist Dr Shazia was terminated by the administration purely on the basis of administrative misconduct. All the trainee doctors later launched campaign and started maligning SKMCH administration. They had been creating noise inside and outside the hospital and tried to disrupt its functioning. “We have tolerated their entire nuisance, but today they crossed all limits”, he said, adding that they were offered appropriate proposals to secure their career at some other hospitals; however, they rejected all offers.
He said that the SKMH management had terminated six trainee doctors as last resort to keep functioning without disruption.
She further said that by adopting this surgery, they could be able to reduce the chances of fatality of mother and baby at the time of delivery.