KARACHI: Doctors at the National Institute of Child Health (NICH) have entered the fourth day of an indefinite protest, alleging that repeated assurances from hospital management have failed to translate into concrete measures to improve security for healthcare workers, patients and attendants.
According to a press release issued by the Young Doctors Association (YDA) on Thursday, the protest continues with a complete boycott of outpatient departments (OPDs) and new ward admissions. However, emergency services, the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU), Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), operation theatres and other essential emergency medical services remain fully operational to ensure critically ill children continue receiving treatment.
The latest announcement marks an escalation of the dispute, with the YDA stating that the protest will continue indefinitely until its security-related demands are addressed.
Doctors cite ongoing security concerns
The association said that despite four consecutive days of protest and several meetings with hospital officials, no practical or emergency measures have been implemented to improve security within the hospital.
According to the YDA, doctors, patients and their families continue to face safety concerns, while the association alleges that repeated assurances by the administration have not been followed by meaningful action.
The doctors warned that persistent security shortcomings place both healthcare workers and patients at risk and said responsibility for any untoward incident would rest with the hospital administration if corrective measures are not taken.
Previous talks failed to break deadlock
The ongoing protest follows earlier negotiations between YDA representatives and NICH Executive Director Dr Nasser Saleem Suddle and Deputy Director Dr Yaqub.
During those discussions, the doctors presented concerns over what they described as deteriorating security conditions, including incidents of harassment, violence, threats and interference with doctors while performing their duties.
Following the meeting, the YDA said the administration did not announce or implement immediate security measures, prompting the association to extend its protest before ultimately deciding to continue it for an indefinite period.
Key demands
The Young Doctors Association has urged the Sindh government and hospital administration to:
Immediately implement a comprehensive and effective hospital security system.
Take legal action against individuals involved in attacks or harassment of doctors.
Ensure a safe working environment for healthcare professionals and better protection for patients and their attendants.
The association reiterated that while its protest will continue until these demands are met, emergency, intensive care and other life-saving medical services will remain unaffected.
The hospital administration had previously met protesting doctors and offered assurances, but no fresh statement had been issued regarding the latest developments at the time of publication.
Stay informed, stay alert!
CLICK HERE TO JOIN Medical News Pakistan on WhatsApp for real-time health alerts, expert insights, and breakthrough medical discoveries.