Daily Times

The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Saturday dismissed a petition against alleged non-availability of personal protective equipment for doctors treating patients of coronavirus in government-run hospitals across Punjab, besides slapping fine on the petitioners for wasting the time of the court.

In a five-page written verdict, the court ruled that the petitioners had mala-fide intentions when they filed the petition. Chief Justice Muhammad Qasim Khan ruled that the reputation of the health department of the province has been damaged as a result of the petition filed by doctors. “The doctors filed the petition without solid evidence and with the sole purpose of gaining cheap publicity. The court reserves the right to act against people who file unnecessary petitions,” the ruling stated. “If the authorities believe that the petition is against the civil service conduct rules, they may take action against the petitioners,” it added.

According to the order, the petitioners pleaded for the provision of protective equipment for all health professionals combating the spread of the coronavirus but records shared with the court showed not one of the five petitioners had been assigned duties related to coronavirus. It added that one of the petitioners was posted for a day to screen virus patients, for which he was given complete protective gear. “For what has been stated above, the instant writ petition on the face of it appears to be a mala fide move and an attempt to get easy social media projection for no solid and sound basis thereof,” read the order.

Accepting the Punjab government’s stance that PPEs are only provided to doctors treating coronavirus patients, the court also noted in its order that several developed countries are also facing a shortage of protective gear in the health crisis that has emerged from the pandemic. The court said it will be unfair to give a verdict against the Punjab government when it has been taking effective measures to ensure the safety of doctors, adding that doctors as public servants also have a responsibility towards the state.

“If for all good reasons, we keep doctors on the highest pedestal, at the same time we cannot allow all and sundry to play havoc in the society by spreading chaos through unauthentic information or levelling allegations against the state or its institutions,” the LHC order read, noting that the pleas by the doctors, including the financial relief package, are directly related to their terms of service, for which they have means of redressing in the form of hierarchies in the health department. Without approaching other modes of redressal granted to them, public servants cannot move the high court with a constitutional petition, the order read.

Meanwhile, dozens of doctors and nurses went on a hunger strike to protest against the lack of personal protective equipment available for frontline medical staff treating coronavirus patients. The protesters have kept working in their hospitals while taking turns to demonstrate in Lahore. “We do not intend on stopping until the government listens to our demands. They have been consistently refusing to adhere to our demands,” said doctor Salman Haseeb.

Haseeb heads the province´s Grand Health Alliance, which is organising the protest, and he said he had not eaten since April 16.

“We are on the frontline of this virus and if we are not protected then the whole population is at risk,” he said.

The alliance said about 30 doctors and nurses are on hunger strike, with up to 200 medical staff joining them each day for demonstrations.

“We are simply demanding justice for our community,” said doctor and YDA chairman Khizer Hayat. Hospital staff would not escalate their protest by walking off the job, he added.