Services MS office attacked by medics

LAHORE:Scores of doctors and paramedics allegedly attacked the office of Services Hospital Medical Superintendent (MS) on Thursday against ‘not giving them protective equipment.’

The hospital management, however, accused them of resorting to vandalism following an inquiry into marking fake attendance.

Allegedly led by Young Consultants Association (YCA) president Dr Hamid Butt, dozens of healthcare providers stormed the MS office. The admin block was presenting unruly scenes of doctors and allied health staff attacking administrative doctors with batons, breaking windowpanes, furniture and fixture at the health facility. The protesters accused the administration of not giving PPEs to the allied health staff. Police high-ups reached the hospital and disbursed the protesters.

Young Doctors Association (YDA) has, however, distanced itself from the sad incident at the time. The hospital management said that the doctors and allied health staff resorted to vandalism following initiation of an inquiry into marking fake attendance.

“Some paramedics were working at official residences of some office-bearers of YCA, MS Dr Iftikhar said, adding these paramedics were marking fake attendance. He said inquiry has been initiated to probe marking of attendance without coming to the hospital for performing duty.

The SHL administrative has filed an application in Shadman police station against the alleged miscreants for violating the discipline and attacking the MS office. Punjab Health Department has also sought detailed report from the hospital administration in this regard.

PKLI&RC: The World Health Organisation (WHO) representative in Pakistan Dr Palitha Gunarathna Mahipala and his team visited Pakistan Kidney and Liver Institute and Research Center (PKLI&RC) on Thursday.

The guests were given a presentation by Dr Hafiz Ijaz Ahmad – dean PKLI&RC. The guests were briefed about the hospital’s vision, mission, state-of-the-art medical facilities, progressive approach and plans for future development. The WHO team visited the isolation rooms/wards and looked into the medical arrangements the available there for the Covid-19 patients. Dr Mahipala was impressed and he appreciated the untiring efforts of the hospital staff for responding to the public health emergency as per international standards. He expressed the desire to collaborate with PKLI in order to maximise the efforts for ensuring the best practices in the areas of infection prevention and control.

The team also visited the hospital waste management facility and observed the working of a microwave shredder machine. In the first week of March, the Punjab government announced that PKLI would function as a corona care facility. The routine working of the hospital was halted and isolation arrangement for Covid-19 was planned.

As the first step, the hepatitis building was converted into a 26-bed isolation ward. In the next phase, the main hospital building will host patients in 75 rooms, including ICU facilities. Since March 19, 2020, 30 corona patients had been admitted while six were discharged after recovery and negative test reports. Dr Hafiz Ijaz Ahmad expressed gratitude to the WHO representatives on behalf of PKLI’s staff upon visiting the hospita.