Doctors advised to demonstrate greater patience, endurance

By Abdul Qadir Qureshi
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

The practicing doctors have been advised to observe the principles of the Declaration of Geneva as approved by the World Medical Association and carry out their duties even while having difference of opinion with the authorities.

Prof Dr Masood Hameed, President, Pakistan Medical & Dental Council (PMDC), has clarified that their body didn’t believe in strikes at the cost of patients.

He regretted that quite a few deaths have taken place due to the strikes called by the Young Doctors Association (YDA), who greeted 2014 with a protest and renewed their pledge to get a service structure approved from the Punjab Government through road protest and boycott of duties. 

“The right for a peaceful strike exists in all civilized societies but calling strikes and not treating patients is unethical and breaches the Code of Ethics under section 4 & 5,” the PMDC President declared. 

He quoted the relevant bye-laws in an effort to remind the doctors about their duties and responsibilities.

“The duties of physicians include always bearing in mind the obligation of preserving human life, giving emergency care as a humanitarian duty unless he is assured that others are willing and able to give such care. The physicians have a duty to behave gently with their colleagues and abstain from enticing patients,” Prof Dr Masood Hameed emphasized. 

He warned that the PM&DC will not compromise on unethical behaviour of doctors and strongly condemned the YDA and the CPSP for holding strikes. 

"If the YDA calls for a strike and entices violence and treatment of patients is compromised and any untoward incident occurs the PM&DC will take appropriate action as per law,” he observed in a press briefing on January 4.