28-04-2025
Protesting health employees clash with police
LAHORE: The police and the employees of the public hospitals had a clash here on Monday, when the latter tried to move from the Charing Cross to reach the CM Secretariat for holding their protest.
The protestors had announced to move from the Charing Cross and stage a sit-in outside the CM Secretariat, to intensify the agitation against the outsourcing of the public hospitals.
Following the announcement, the employees, including young doctors, nurses and paramedics, gathered in a large number on Monday and then marched towards the CM Secretariat.
The police intensified security by making heavy deployment to engage the protesters at the Charing Cross and suggested to them to continue their agitation on the same venue. However, the protestors rejected the offer of the police. A clash took place between the two sides when the employees insisted for moving forward.
It was alleged by the protestors that the police reportedly thrashed some of the young medics. The protestors moved back to their position at Chairing cross and continued protest.
In the related development, the paramedics of some hospitals completely shut down the OPD and some other wards of the hospital which caused hardships to the patients. Reportedly, they locked the rooms of the doctors at the OPD and pushed the patients outside the facility.
Moreover, the Specialized Healthcare and Medical Education Department has ordered to immediately stop the salaries of doctors who are absent from hospitals without permission.
The salaries will be restored after the doctors' report back to the respective hospitals. Instructions have been issued to all medical superintendents in this regard.
The Specialized Healthcare and Medical Education Department has started disciplinary action against doctors who are absent from hospitals without permission.
The Punjab Health Department has also imposed a ban on the leaves of all doctors, nurses and allied health staff. Those taking Ex-Pakistan Leave, EOL, study, maternity and Iddat leaves will be exempted from this ban. Doctors, nurses and allied health staff will be immediately returned to their Instructions have been given to report for duty. A letter has also been issued in this regard.
Further, the Department has suspended two doctors under the PEEDA Act and dismissed one doctor from service for misconduct and closure of OPD of a teaching hospital.
According to the details, Dr. Salman Haseeb of Services Hospital Lahore is suspended and training of PGR Dr. Ahmed Yar of Children Hospital Lahore has been suspended while Dr Muhammad Amir Bashir of General Hospital Lahore has been terminated from service. A notification has been issued in this regard.
The Department alsos dismissed 3 medical officers of Dr Faisal Masood Teaching Hospital Sargodha for misconduct and closure of OPD, transferred one medical officer, while PG training of Nishtar Hospital Multan has been suspended. According to the details, Dr Muhammad Asjad Saleem, Medical Officer of Dr Faisal Masood Teaching Hospital Sargodha, has been dismissed for misconduct and closure of OPD, Medical Officer Dr. Osama Bin Saeed has been dismissed for misconduct and closure of OPD, and Medical Officer Dr Wajid Ali has been dismissed for misconduct and closure of OPD, while Medical Officer Dr Usman Imtiaz has been transferred and handed over to the Department of Primary and Secondary Health Care.
According to details, the PG training of Dr Salman Ghafoor, a postgraduate resident of Nishtar Hospital Multan, has been suspended immediately due to misconduct and violation of discipline. A notification has also been issued in this regard.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
