CPSP, PIMA condemn baton-charge on healthcare providers in Quetta

Islamabad : The College of Physicians and Surgeons Pakistan has strongly condemned the uncivilised act of police that baton-charged healthcare providers including doctors, nurses and paramedics in Quetta on Monday who were demanding protective gears for protection against coronavirus.

For God Sake! Police must act like police of a civilised nation and learn the concept of Islamic welfare stare. The government should provide personal protective equipment to doctors and other staff working hard to manage patients with coronavirus illness and the arrested doctors should be released while the wrong-doers must apologize to the doctors, said Acting President CPSP Dr. Muhammad Shoaib Shafi while talking to ‘The News’ on Tuesday.

He added the CPSP trainees were demanding protective gear and it is in accordance with the CPSP policy. The CPSP has already written letters to the Baluchistan health department, first on March 24 and second on March 30 asking the government to provide full protective equipment to the CPSP trainees performing ‘Corona duties’ in the province, he said.

He said the CPSP demands provision of protective coverings to all postgraduate trainees and fellows of the CPSP serving anywhere in Pakistan in healthcare facilities dealing with coronavirus patients.

Meanwhile, Pakistan Islamic Medical Association has severely condemned violence against doctors in Quetta and their arrest by police for demanding corona protection equipment.

In a statement issued by PIMA, Central President of PIMA, Professor Muhammad Afzal Mian and General Secretary, Professor Khubaib Shahid said, this act is deplorable in the present situation when doctors were playing with their lives to treat the patients. PIMA demanded distributions of the PPE without delay.

PIMA office bearers said doctors were playing an important role against corona whereas the government was creating hurdles for them which led to their protest for self-protection. Such doctors the PIMA leaders said were worthy of praise but all the government can do is becoming violent on them.

PIMA reiterates the demand of ongoing protest by doctors and civil society to provide protection to doctors. PIMA, Al-Khidmat and other NGOs are striving hard to provide facilities and necessities to the masses but their efforts were not sufficient. PIMA said it would continue to ask doctors to perform their duties in the calamity but questioned how a war could be won without weapons.