Sarwar for legislation to check attack on healthcare professionals

LAHORE: An awareness session was Thursday organised by Pakistan Red Crescent Society (PRCS) in collaboration with International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) at the Governor’s House here on ‘Bharosa Karein’ a nationwide campaign that was launched on July 23 this year to promote respect for the healthcare professional (HCPs) and medical facilities in the country in view of increasing incidents of violence at the hands of patients and their attendants.

The campaign is based on the studies conducted by the ICRC in collaboration with Khyber Medical University and other institutions in 2016 and 2018. Punjab Governor Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar was the chief guest. Speaking on the occasion, Chaudhry Sarwar spoke highly of the PRCS for its valuable countrywide humanitarian services and emphasised the need for collective efforts to ensure a better working environment for the healthcare professionals.

He said proper interventions in shape of balanced legislation based on inputs from all the stakeholders could help to minimise attacks on the HCPs and damage to health facilities.

The governor said the government stands with the PRCS and ICRC in their mission. He said doctors and paramedics were messiahs and their protection was the responsibility of all. He also suggested counselling facility for the patients and their attendants.

Dr Saeed Elahi said violence against healthcare professionals was a significant public health dilemma that hindered the patients’ speedy access to proper medical care and efforts made at different levels for prevention and elimination of diseases.

He said violence against HCPs and medical facilities not only affected the standard of medical service, but also threatened the life of both the patients and healthcare professionals. He said the PRCS would work shoulder to shoulder with the ICRC in its campaign.