ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: Citizens on Tuesday demanded of the authorities concerned to take notice of non-observance of code of medical ethics by medical practitioners at Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) in Islamabad.
They claimed that contrary to these ethics, doctors’ behavior with the patients at PIMS’s OPDs, emergency and different wards was totally inhuman.
They said that doctors must ensure that they do not engage in any behavior that negatively impacts directly or indirectly on patient care and that their private practice must never interfere with patients’ treatment at PIMS in any way.
The citizens observed that due to their busy schedule in private clinics mostly senior doctors of the hospital remain absent from their duties even day time while post graduates trainee doctors perform duties in their absence.
They added unfortunately despite their absence whole day they remain presence on duty charts and even get overtime charges from the hospital management.
Zahoor Ahmad, a patient at PIMS medical ward alleged that “No one in the hospital takes any responsibility regarding patients care as mostly doctors remain busy in convincing patients to come to their private clinic for proper treatment.”
He said “patients expect from the medical practitioners to provide a quality of care to them which is timely, compassionate and respecting human privacy and dignity.”
“Under professional ethics, medical practitioners are bound to avoid any non-discriminating attitude or exploiting vulnerable situations in the hospital,” Aftab Qureshi, another patient admitted at PIMS said.
He said that under the code of ethics prepared by Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) for medical practitioners, gross negligence in respect of professional duties may lead to suspension or removal from services.
Asad Ullah Khan, another patient at PIMS observed that hospital doctors should be discouraged from entering into business deals with patients or other arrangements that include financial incentives from pharmaceutical companies.
He said that in all dealings with patients, every doctor must keep in mind that the interest of the patient and the advantage to the patient’s health should be the major consideration.
Mubarak Khan, a patient was of the view said that due to non-observance of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) by the staff at the emergency, patients face several hardships, particularly those come with critical condition.
Sometimes patients at the emergency department, he said, needed immediate response from expert doctors but only general physicians were found there and the specialist doctors did not reach the ward on time.
Adnan Haider, an attendant with the patient at PIMS, said keeping in view the serious nature of the section, only well trained medical and non-medical staff having full knowledge of SOPs and all other procedures, should be assigned at PIMS emergency.
PMDC was committed to regulate the standards of medical practice, protect the interests of the patients, supervise medical education, and give guidelines on ethical issues, a spokesperson of PMDC said while reacting on non-observance of code of ethics by PIMS doctors.
She said that the code of ethics provide a set of principles prescribed by the PMDC, which doctors can use as guidelines in the varying situations, in line with their judgment, experience, knowledge and skills.
In case of receiving any complaint regarding negligence and malpractice of doctors, the council takes strict action against medical practitioners. She advised citizens to send their complaints against doctors directly to the President PMDC.
When contacted, an official of PIMS said unlike medical practices abroad where one doctor examines five to seven patients in a day, here at PIMS each doctor has to examine several patients daily at emergency and other wards.
He said that hospitals’ doctors fully observe the code of ethics. He said the hospital management has taken several steps to provide best medical care to the patients.
He added a team of best doctors remain in the emergency ward of the hospital round the clock to provide proper medical cover to incoming patients.
Source: APP
