Daily Times

A clash erupted in the Children’s Hospital in the provincial capital, Lahore, when the air conditioner was turned off. The relatives of a child who died while undergoing treatment attacked doctors and staff, resulting in injuries to 6 people, including 2 doctors. Following the child’s death, the relatives protested against the hospital administration. The confrontation escalated from verbal altercations to physical violence.

Details reveal that 9-year-old Abubakar from Abbottabad was brought to the hospital with a fever and was admitted to the Development Ward. Allegedly, the child died because the AC was turned off. This led to a heated exchange between the relatives and doctors. Subsequently, 6 enraged relatives attacked the doctors, injuring Dr. Bakhtiar Mukhtar severely on the head and injuring Dr. Waqar’s arm. The injured doctors were moved to General Hospital for medical treatment. In protest, the doctors stopped working, including in the emergency department, stating that controlling the AC was the administration’s responsibility, not theirs. The hospital administration announced legal action against the attackers.

The relatives kept the child’s body in the courtyard for several hours, staging a protest, and around 400 relatives and protesters blocked Ferozepur Road, severely disrupting traffic. Despite negotiations with the police, the relatives refused to end the protest until the child’s father was released. After further negotiations, the protest ended, and the road was reopened to traffic. A case was registered against the child’s father and brothers for rioting, hospital damage, and assaulting doctors.

Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif will take notice of this matter that the hospitals in Punjab are supposed to receive a 24-hour supply of electricity. Why did the electricity go out? Who is responsible for this? The responsible individuals will be held accountable. Or will the inquiry be buried in a closed cabinet, with everyone saying that everything is fine, as in other cases?