Doctors misguiding, mistreating Coronavirus patients: PMA

LAHORE: The Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) has expressed serious concern over the increasing number of coronavirus patients and rising death toll of Covid-19 patients in the country.

“We are very disturbed; how would our hospitals mange the load of Covid-19 patients in future. We have been observing the management flaws in our hospitals,” said Dr SM Qaisar Sajjad, secretary general, PMA (Centre), in a statement here on Friday.

The patients with corona positive are being refused admission to hospitals even if there is availability of vacant beds and ventilators there. Death of Dr Furqanul Haq is a recent example of this mismanagement. PMA has been receiving such complaints on a daily basis in which patients are mistreated and misguided. We should learn a lesson from the death of Dr Furqan so that no patient should suffer like him in future. The doctors performing duties in emergencies should not misguide patients. The inquiry committee has concluded that misjudgment on part of the medical officer at Civil Hospital was the cause of Dr Furqan’s death.

“We will have to streamline the system of our corona designated hospitals and quarantine facilities all over Pakistan.

There should be a centralised networking among the health facilities. Ambulance service should also be included in the network so that ambulance driver can take the patient to the required facility.

No patient should be refused admission to a health facility,” the PMA office-bearer said.In case of unavailability of bed or ventilator, a patient must be referred to some other hospital by the doctors on duty by approaching central network.