Young Doctors Association (YDA) has announced a boycott of outdoor patient departments (OPDs) across Punjab as the protest continues against the assault on doctors and medical staff at Children’s Hospital Lahore.

Outdoor wards in hospitals throughout the province have been closed by the association, which is demanding the inclusion of anti-terrorism provisions against perpetrators of violence.

Due to the young doctors’ protest, many patients are facing problems in accessing essential medical services.

On Thursday, an infant lost his life during treatment at Children’s Hospital. The atmosphere turned even more distressing when the victim’s family launched a violent assault on the attending doctor, causing severe injuries.

Video footage captured the horrific scene as a small group of miscreants from the victim’s family attacked the doctor and hospital staff, repeatedly punching, slapping, and kicking the defenseless medical professional. Despite the efforts of a security guard to intervene, the attackers showed no regard for his presence.

Expressing their outrage and solidarity with the assaulted doctor, the medical staff and doctors at the hospital swiftly took action.

They decided to close down the OPDs and suspend ongoing operations, seeking justice and calling for improved security measures to protect healthcare professionals.

Dr. Farrukh Javed, senior vice president of the Punjab Young Doctor Association, expressed his dismay on Twitter, questioning the lack of security legislation and lamenting the authorities’ failure to address this longstanding concern.

He wrote, “Have you ever witnessed scenes like this in a CMH hospital? For years, we have requested security legislation from the authorities, but they have never listened. Pathetic.”