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Pakistan's medical community has voiced growing concern over escalating violence, harassment, and intimidation targeting healthcare professionals following a recent acid attack on a female doctor that has sparked nationwide outrage, as reported by The Express Tribune.
According to The Express Tribune, the Pakistan Islamic Medical Association (PIMA) organised a seminar titled "Who Will Heal the Healers?" at PIMA House to highlight the challenges faced by doctors and medical staff in hospitals across the country. The event focused on the acid attack on a female doctor and broader concerns regarding the safety of healthcare workers. Addressing participants, Atif Hafeez Siddiqui, PIMA Central President, criticised what he described as the increasing influence of wealthy business interests over Pakistan's healthcare system. He argued that ordinary citizens are being denied access to quality medical services while healthcare institutions continue to struggle with inadequate resources. Siddiqui urged lawmakers to introduce specific legislation protecting doctors and hospital employees from harassment, violence, and intimidation. He further demanded that attacks on healthcare professionals, vandalism of hospital property, and threats against medical personnel be treated as serious criminal offences. Siddiqui emphasised that doctors are responsible for diagnosing illnesses and prescribing treatment, while governments must ensure the availability of medicines, hospital beds, and other essential facilities. He warned against unfairly holding physicians accountable for systemic shortcomings. During the seminar, Siddiqui also called for measures to prevent workplace harassment and misuse of authority against doctors. He proposed restrictions on unauthorised photography and video recording of medical staff while on duty. He suggested that criminal cases against doctors should not be registered without prior review by the relevant health commission, as cited by The Express Tribune. Meanwhile, Zakia Aurangzeb, President of the PIMA Women's Wing, highlighted the financial hardships faced by trainee doctors. She highlighted the exceptionally low salaries paid to young medical professionals despite their demanding workloads and critical role in public healthcare, as reported by The Express Tribune. (ANI)
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