Secretary-General, PMA Centre, Dr S M Qaisar Sajjad, President, PMA Sindh, Dr Mirza Ali Azhar, and General-Secretary, PMA Karachi, Dr Abdul Ghafoor Shoro expressed these views, in an urgent press conference held at the PMA House Karachi.
They said that nowadays, doctors are treating their patients by putting their own lives at risk. They are under tremendous stress considering not only their workload but also the circumstances in which they are compelled to perform their duties like unfavourable conditions, lack of security, scarcity of medicines, and above all, the hostile attitude of the patients’ attendants.
A horrible incident occurred at the NICVD when a patient came to the Emergency Department of the NICVD and asked about the doctor who was in the OPD the previous night. He had some altercation with that doctor last night, probably after the doctor refused to provide the pills he requested. Dr Fahad, a resident of the NICVD, replied that he did not know about the doctor who was on duty the previous night after which the person opened fire at him, leaving the doctor injured, noted the PMA.
They said that this is unacceptable to us, and doctors are working very hard in such unfavourable circumstances. They further said that the PMA, as a patient-friendly organization, always opposes strikes, protests, and agitation. We believe in fighting for our rights, decently, and democratically. Such incidents will only push us against the wall, the PMA added.
Representatives of the PMA demanded a high-level inquiry of this incident and exemplary punishment for the man responsible for this heinous crime. They also demanded the Sindh government and security agencies take stern notice of this incident and make sure no such thing ever happens again in the future. Furthermore, the injured doctor should be provided with the best possible medical care for his injuries, concluded the PMA.
-MN Report