PMDC president constitutes inquiry committee into sanitary worker’s death

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) President Prof Dr Shabir Lehri took serious notice of the death of a sanitary worker at Civil Hospital, Umerkot who was allegedly denied treatment by doctors due to his dirty appearance.

The sanitary worker, 30-year-old Irfan Masih, suffocated to death in Umerkot. He was brought to the hospital after falling unconscious, along with three other sanitary staff, while cleaning a manhole in Umerkot. He died hours later in front of doctors who were allegedly reluctant to treat him because Masih was drenched in sewage sludge.

The doctors refused to treat him because they were fasting and said my son was unclean, claimed Masih’s mother.

After receiving complaints of the incident, the PMDC president constituted an inquiry committee to investigate the case. He told the media that this type of discrimination and disgraceful behaviour is unacceptable.

He said the incident displays very unfortunate behaviour, as being a medical practitioner one should be dedicated to provide medical services with full technical and moral independence with compassion and respect for human dignity. Doctors should always strictly ensure emergency care as a humanitarian duty, he said.

Dr Lehri also emphasised the importance of all medical and dental practitioners bearing in mind the obligations of preserving lives and not discriminating on the basis of age, gender, class, race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, disability, health conditions, marital discord, domestic or parental status, criminal record or any other applicable bias as prescribed by the law.

He vowed to thoroughly investigate the case and said that if any doctor was found guilty of negligence, strict action will be taken against them.

Source: The Express Tribune