KARACHI: Medical professionals and representatives of various healthcare organizations called on the government to ensure protection for doctors and healthcare workers, introduce reforms in the health sector, and increase salaries of young doctors and medical staff during a seminar organized by the Pakistan Islamic Medical Association (PIMA) Karachi.
The seminar, titled “Masiha Aakhir Kin Se Masihai Talab Karein?” (Who Will Heal the Healers?), was held at PIMA House in response to the acid attack on Dr. Mah Noor and growing incidents of harassment and violence against doctors and healthcare workers in hospitals.
The event was attended by PIMA Central President Dr. Atif Hafeez Siddiqui, PIMA Women Wing Central President Dr. Zakia Aurangzeb, Acting President PIMA Karachi Dr. Saqib Hussain Ansari, Dr. Javeria Sikandar, Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) Karachi President Dr. Ismail Memon, former PMA Secretary General Dr. Qaiser Sajjad, gynecologist Dr. Samarina Hashmi, Young Doctors Association Sindh President Dr. Waris Jakhrani, Patron-in-Chief Dr. Umar Sultan, Pakistan Headache Society President Dr. Abdul Malik, Pakistan Pediatric Association Secretary Dr. Mohsina Noor Ibrahim, Dr. Tazeen Abbas of the Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and Young Nursing Association President Shahid Iqbal, among others.
Addressing the seminar, Dr. Atif Hafeez Siddiqui said the healthcare sector had increasingly come under the influence of commercial interests, while ordinary citizens continued to struggle for access to quality healthcare services. He demanded legislation against harassment and violence targeting doctors and healthcare workers and called for immediate restoration of doctors suspended in Balochistan for protesting the acid attack on Dr. Mah Noor.
He stressed that violence against doctors, healthcare staff and hospital property should be treated as a punishable offense. He said healthcare workers must be provided adequate security so they can perform their duties without fear. Dr. Siddiqui also urged the government to curb misuse of authority against doctors, ban unauthorized video recording inside hospitals, and ensure that FIRs against doctors are not registered without due review by the relevant health authorities.
He further demanded an end to the exploitation of young doctors and called for salary increases and improved working conditions. He also urged the government to take action against misinformation campaigns targeting evidence-based medical practices on social media.
Dr. Zakia Aurangzeb highlighted the challenges faced by trainee doctors, saying many work 36 to 38-hour shifts with little opportunity for rest. She noted that female doctors also face harassment and emphasized that the Dr. Mah Noor case underscored the urgent need for stronger protection mechanisms for healthcare professionals.
PMA Karachi President Dr. Ismail Memon said the medical community remained united on the issue and warned that if the government failed to ensure doctors’ safety, healthcare organizations could reactivate the Joint Action Committee and launch protests.
Dr. Tazeen Abbas said doctors dedicate their lives to patient care but continue to work without adequate security. Dr. Samarina Hashmi described the growing harassment of doctors as alarming and called for immediate corrective measures.
Dr. Javeria Sikandar pointed to the increasing migration of doctors abroad due to security concerns and poor working conditions. She urged the government to focus on retaining existing medical professionals rather than merely increasing training seats.
Young Doctors Association Sindh President Dr. Waris Jakhrani said the issue extended beyond Karachi and affected healthcare workers across Pakistan. He called on the government to address systemic issues within the healthcare sector.
Dr. Umar Sultan termed the acid attack on Dr. Mah Noor an administrative failure and demanded implementation of laws protecting healthcare workers, along with salary increases from house officers to senior professors.
Acting PIMA Karachi President Dr. Saqib Hussain Ansari said doctors were compelled to raise their voices because no one else was advocating for their rights. He urged healthcare professionals to remain united in their struggle for protection and dignity.
Former PMA Secretary General Dr. Qaiser Sajjad called for a judicial inquiry into the Dr. Mah Noor case and demanded transparency regarding the circumstances surrounding the death of the alleged attacker. He said many doctors were leaving the country because they no longer felt safe or professionally secure.
Pakistan Headache Society President Dr. Abdul Malik announced plans to strengthen collective efforts through the Joint Action Committee to push for solutions to doctors’ concerns.
Young Nursing Association President Shahid Iqbal expressed solidarity with doctors and assured that the nursing community in Sindh would support joint efforts aimed at resolving the challenges faced by healthcare workers.
The participants unanimously called upon the government to ensure the safety and dignity of healthcare professionals, strengthen hospital security, improve working conditions, and undertake meaningful reforms to address the growing crisis in Pakistan’s healthcare system.
