February 15, 2016, Peshawar: The Center for Research and Security Studies’ (CRSS) flagship radio program Sabawoon’s latest episode was about the effects of Peshawar’s health community protests on female staff members and patients. The episode also covered lack of professionalism in hospital administrators and doctors, absence of basic facilities in operation theaters, importance of first aid for females during emergency, and the lack of basic facilities for female staff members in hospitals.
The program, under the theme “Jarga Marraka” (debate and council), was aired on Monday. Dr. Alamgir Yousufzai, President Young Doctors Association (YDA) Khyber Pukhtunkhwa (KP), took part as a guest in the program. Ms. Gulshan Arra, Vice President of Pakistan Nursing Association, shared her opinions via telephone.
A report was made part of the central theme of the program. The report shared the views of the female attendees, Lady Reading Hospital (LRH) Peshawar staff members, and the public about the impacts of health community protests against the proposed health reform bill. Ms. Gul Marjana Bibi, attendee in LRH, said, “Everything is disorganized because of the protest, and it is directly affecting us. It has been two days since I have been waiting for the doctor.” Ms. Alam Naaz Bibi, a female nurse in LRH, said, “Being a female nurse, I am not only supposed to work in the hospital but I have to perform the household chores as well because of our culture and marital status. The hospital administration adopts a non-professional attitude with us. Three nurses are sharing a single room in the hostel which is completely against the ethics. In every protest, we are affected the most because of the male dominance.”
A total of five callers participated in the show. They urged the KP government to provide the basic facilities in hospitals and basic health units (BHU) in rural areas, and empower doctors and health practitioners so they can better perform their duties.
A caller on the show, Mr. Luqman Khan, said, “Most of the BHUs are not equipped to handle emergency situations. The government should focus on its improvement.” Mr. Muhammad Wali, another caller on the show, said, “The behaviour of doctors in government and private hospitals is different. They provide us more time in private hospitals because of their own interests and reputations.” Another caller, Mr. Abdul Qadir Marwat, said, “Doctors should understand their responsibility and the government should facilitate them in reward of their services for the public.”
Dr. Alamgir Yousufzai, President Young doctors association (YDA) KP.
“Doctors are overburdened by the government and that is ultimately affecting the patients. There are a lot of jobless doctors. If the government recruits them, it might resolve the problems. There are hundreds of BHUs in KP that lack the basic facilities, which is the ultimate responsibility of the government, not the doctors.”
Ms. Gulshan Arra, Vice President of All Pakistan Nursing Association.
“The nursing staff is available in the hospitals offering their services despite the ongoing protests, and in return the government is not even providing them a professional allowance.”