Doctors on strike after colleagues beaten in Kabul

KABUL (Pajhwok): Doctors and paramedical staff of Noor Eye Hospital in Kabul on Wednesday went on strike after two doctors of the hospital were beaten by a brother and guards of a Wolesi Jirga member.

The protestors numbering around 100 waed they would continue their strike until those who beat the two doctors were arrested.

Dr. Faisal, one of the striking doctors, told Pajhwok Afghan News the incident took place two days ago when a brother and three bodyguards of Habiba Danish, a lawmaker from northe Takhar province, entered Dr. Ghulam Ishan Usmani clinic and beat him and his son, Dr. Najibullah Usmani, in Baharistan area of Kabul city.

He said Dr. Najibullah Usmani’s one hand and nose were broken and one of his eyes was also wounded in the attack.

Dr. Faisal didn’t say what prompted the beating but said a week before the incident, Habiba Danish had visited Dr. Najibullah Usmani and had waed him against posts on his Facebook wall against her family.

Zabihullah Mahrorz, another doctor, termed the beating as insult to all doctors and said all doctors of the Noor Hospital, Kudri Hospital, Chashm-e-Aman Hospital, Chashm-e-Omid and all other private clinics had gone on strike.

Awrangzeb, a 60-year-old eye patient, said he came to the Noor hospital at 7:00am for eye surgery, but doctors refused to operate on him and told him to visit some other day.

“What kind of govement is this, I came from Jalalabad, Nangarhar province, but doctors do not pay attention to me and to other patients.”

However, Dr. Yousuf Bragai, head of Noor Hospital who confirmed the strike, said only emergency patients would be treated at the hospital.

The doctors’ beating incident went viral on social media and had strong reactions.

The Wolesi Jirga on Wednesday session assigned a delegation with investigating the incident afeter being requested by some MPs.

However, Habiba Danish denied her brother and guards had beaten the two doctors and said it was baseless accusations aimed at disgracing her.

sns/ma