LAHORE – Since its inception five years back, Punjab Young Doctors Association has eaten a humble pie for the first time as it called off strike unconditionally without dialogue, though giving six days deadline to the Punjab Health Department for accepting the demands.
Punjab YDA was set up in 2008 and took extreme steps of going on strike on 11 occasions, getting success every time as the government was forced to come on table to negotiate with ‘hawks’.
On this occasion, 12th strike, Punjab YDA was not that fortunate but solely due to own behaviour as hooliganism at Gujranwala hospitals and thrashing of senior doctors caused clear division in the community. Punjab General Cadre Doctors Association and Pakistan Medical Association condemned improper behaviour of young doctors at a Gujtranwala hospital and demanded immediate withdrawal of strike, saying that insult and thrashing of senior doctors was not acceptable.
Not only other medic bodies, but also Punjab YDA was divided in two groups with the majority refusing to go on strike and vowed to provide services at OPDs and emergencies.
Punjab Health Department terminated seven young doctors and suspended six more miscreants for torturing seniors and journalists and for hindering health services at hospitals. Fearing further action from the government and having little support from the community, Punjab YDA announced to call off strike late Friday night and announced to resume duties at OPDs and emergencies on Saturday.
Addressing a press conference at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Punjab GCDA President Dr Masood Sh said that the reaction of doctors against the strike has sent a clear message that no one would be allowed to insult seniors.
Flanked by Dr Asim Farooqui and Dr Arif Iftikhar, he stressed that medical ethics should be incorporated in the curricula of undergraduate and post graduate doctors and special training workshops should be conducted for the house officers, post graduate trainee and junior doctors, to learn interpersonal relationship, and the way they should deal with seniors and juniors on conflicting issues.
He said that doctor patient relationship should also be focused to improve situation at hospitals. He said that even in west the medical ethics are so important that doctors having a very good clinical skill but fails in medical ethics will not be allowed to clear the exams.
He said that seminars on “ethical values in clinical practice” will soon be arranged by the association.
He said that differences could arise but there should be a proper behaviour to deal such issues.