CHITRAL: Afridi Medical Complex, a private healthcare centre, has announced to bear all expenses of treatment of Iram Shahzadi, a nurse from Chitral, who was expelled from job and refused treatment by a private hospital in Peshawar after she was diagnosed with coronavirus.
Afridi Medical Complex Chief Executive Officer Shahjehan Afridi has contacted Iram Shahzadi and assured her that she must not worry about her treatment facilities and expenses. Shahjehan Afridi also said that his hospital will give job to Iram Shahzadi if her previous hospital refuses to give her job.
Few days ago, Iram was sacked by her hospital after she contracted coronavirus and she was also refused treatment.
The story of the unjust treatment mated out of Iram also went viral on the social media and an inquiry has also been launched into the matter. The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Healthcare Commission has taken notice of the incident and inquiry is underway. The inquiry committee is recording statements of different people and it is also trying to record the statement of the affected nurse.
The Young Nurses Association has welcomed the inquiry by the KP Healthcare Commission. However, it said the inquiry commission should also have included representatives from Labour Department, Nurses Association and Human Rights Department. The Association said the case will be taken too its logical conclusion. They said the government must introduce a clear policy on protecting the rights of employees of private healthcare sector.
The Nurses Association said the government institutions have never tried to bring private hospitals into the ambit of the law. That is why, it said, private medical institutions are exploiting the patients and employees. It said the private health institutions must be bound to register all its doctors and nurses with the Healthcare Commission.
Northwest Hospital is facing severe criticism after forcing nurse Iram to tender resignation instead of providing treatment to her.
Iram Shahzadi was diagnosed with coronavirus few days ago and she along with two other nurses, who showed symptoms of coronavirus, were asked to leave the job. The nurses were given the task of screening of suspected coronavirus patients.
The KP Nurses Association said Iram Shahzadi was expelled from her hostel and she was asked to quit the job when she was diagnosed with coronavirus. Iram then came to Hayatabad Medical Complex (HMC) where she was admitted.
The hospital spokesman rejected the allegations and said seven staffers, who used to meet Iram, have been quarantined in the hostel. He insisted that no one showed symptoms of coronavirus that is why the need of tests was not felt.
About Iram Shahzadi, the spokesman said Northwest Hospital did not have testing facility at that time that is why she was sent to HMC. He said Northwest Hospital was not allowed to treat coronavirus patients when Iram was diagnosed with the disease. He said when Northwest Hospital got the permission, a team went to HMC to bring her, but she refused to come back and preferred treatment at HMC.
