Health secretary orders inquiry into nurse’s case | Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF)

Pakistan Press Foundation

Health secretary orders inquiry into nurse’s case

LAHORE: Punjab Health Secretary Muhammad Jehanzeb Khan, while taking notice of a news published in Daily Times on Saturday regarding sexual harassment of a young nurse by a Bachelor Dental Surgeon (BDS) of RHC and delay in payment of her one-year salaries, directed to conduct an inquiry into the matter and resolve the issue of nonpayment of salaries within 48 hours.

Khan directed the Establishment Health Additional Secretary Dawood Muhammad Khan to conduct an inquiry into the matter and resolve the issue of nonpayment of salaries within 48 hours. He further ordered for inquiries about sexual harassment of the said nurse and her job contractual status.

A reliable source from the health department said that after completion of the inquiry report, strict action would be taken against the BDS of RHC Khana Nau.

Talking to Daily Times, Sajida Perveen Dar said that she received a call from the Heath Secretariat in this regard asking her to visit the office of the additional secretary on Monday.

She said that along with her salaries and renewal of job contract, she also wanted action against those involved in harassing her as per law of the land.

According to the details, a young nurse of Kahna Nau Rural Health Centre tried to set herself ablaze on Friday in front of the Lahore Press Club after none of the Punjab government officers heard her complaints related to sexual harassment by a doctor working in her office.

Sajida Parveen Dar, resident of Sheikhupura, was working as charge nurse on adhoc basis since July 5, 2010 at Rural Health Centre, Khana Nau.

While talking to Daily Times, she said that after few days of her joining service with BDS Atif Hanif, he tried to develop illicit relations with her. When she refused, he started threatening her of dire consequences and even dismissal from the job.

In her application submitted to the chief minister, she said that Dr Atif tried threatening her by bragging about his influence and contacts, saying that his wife was an officer in the DCO office. He said that each officer of the department was under his inflence and even the chief minister could do no harm to him, Sajida quoted him as saying.

She said that the accused, Dr Atif, also threatened her of abduction and even murder in case she did not accept his demands. She said that using his influence and the status of her wife in DCO office, Dr Atif manage to stop her salaries. “Hence, I was not able to earn a single penny sepite the passage of one year at work,” she said, adding that her job contract was also not extended.

She said that all the 35 nurses who had joined the government service with her had their contracts extended but she was still waiting for her one-year salary as well as renewal of her the job contract.

She appealed to Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, LHC Chief Justice Ejaz Chaudhry to provide her security, clear her dues and to get her job contract extended in addition to booking the culprits.

Source: Daily Times

Date:8/7/2011