MIRPUR KHAS: A group of nurses physically assaulted a doctor at the Civil Hospital Mirpur Khas on Monday, alleging that he had sexually harassed them. Police had to be summoned to the hospital as the situation turned rough and the paramedical staff had to intervene to rescue the injured doctor from the enraged group. One of the nurses claimed that the doctor had been sexually harassing her as well as her other colleagues in the premises of the operation theatre since the past week. In his defence, the doctor claimed that he had only stopped the nurses from ‘applying makeup in the operation theatre’, after which they began ‘attacking’ him. The hospital administration has now constituted a three-member inquiry committee to probe the matter. In the aftermath of the incident, it came to light that the doctor had been accused of and subsequently found guilty of sexual harassment in the past as well. Hospital documents show that in 2014, the same doctor was accused of sexual harassment and, upon investigation by the hospital authorities, he was found guilty of engaging in inappropriate behaviour with a woman. He was then dismissed, in a notification issued by the hospital chief secretary. However, according to reports, he was able to stay on after exercising his ‘influence’. Health Minister Dr Sikandar Mandhro, taking notice of the incident, said that if found guilty, the doctor would be handed out the strictest of punishment. “In this profession, such behavior is unacceptable. We will ensure, if found guilty, he will be given the strictest of punishment,” Dr Mandhro said while talking to media. “Also, after being found guilty, if the doctor is restored, then we will be answerable,” the minister added.
Published in Daily Times, February 20th 2018.