Review and Commentary
By Shaukat Ali Jawaid
LAHORE: The above titled book is an autobiography by Prof. Eice Muhammad which is full of revelations and incidents which he had to face during his professional career, particularly during agitation by Paksitan Doctors Organization he headed struggling for the improvement of working conditions of healthcare professional’s particularly junior doctors. He has a multifaceted personality who is loved by a large number of healthcare professionals in recognition of his struggle but also hated by some senior colleagues particularly because of his radical views against private practice and suspicion of unethical practices even against some honest medical personalities.
Eice Mohammad
He is known as a very kind hearted, God fearing physicians who is extremely popular among the doctors and public alike, people of areas like Rahim Yar Khan where he served thrice and Bahawalpur. It was on the request of Chaudhry Munir that he was appointed founder Principal of Shaikh Zayed Medical College Rahim Yar Khan in 2008 and again when indiscipline among students and faculty members was at its peak at QAMC, he was appointed as Principal of Quaid-e-Azam Medical College on the request of local MNAs and MPAs to restore discipline.
His parents settled in a Town Pattoki near Lahore after migration from India. He was admitted to King Edward Medical College and his merit was 27 but since many of his class fellows had got admission in Nishtar Medical College, he opted to get admission in NMC from where he graduated and later did FCPS in 1972. Although he had passed ECFMG for going to USA for postgraduate studies and also had Visa for UK but he decided to do FCPS from CPSP.
He is much known as an agitator and campaigner for the rights of doctors but little is known that he is a keen cricketer as well. He mastered the Leg Spin and Gugglie and later specialized as leg cutter bowler and won Lahore Cricket Trophy under his Captainship. He recalls that he decided to join medical profession after reading a novel by Naseem Hijazi “Shaheen”. It had a character a Physician with the name of “Bashir Bin Hasan” which impressed him a lot, His honesty, selflessness influenced him so much that he decided to become a Physician. His elder brother supported him for his education up to MBBS. His father and elder brother both were Hakeem Tabeeb. His wife has done Masters in Zoology from Karachi University. He got married in 1969 when he was Registrar in Mayo Hospital.
Prof. Eice Muhammad recalls that in those days’ pharmacology students used to make lotions, pastes and powders and then put them in bottles which were labeled.
He was not allowed to appear in First Professional Exam as his age was two months short of eighteen years. He topped in the Supplementary Examination in the Punjab University. Students used to go to wards in the evening and write patient histories. Regular weekly Clinico pathology meetings were held. He did house job under Prof. Adul Rauf Khan, Prof. Hayat Zafar and Prof.Akhtar Khan. Prof. Rauf he recalled was known as King of Physicians. Some of his class fellows are Lt Gen. Dr. Karamat who became Surgeon General in Army, Dr. M. Ashraf Mallhi and Dr. Azmat Rashid who also became Major Generals, Prof. Ashfaq was noted cardiologist. Prof. Haider Bakhsh Bukhari and Abdullah Jan Jaffer became Principals of Khyber and Bolan Medical Colleges respectively, Prof. Abdul Rashid became Director of JPMC. Prof. Bashir Ahmed the well-known Neurosurgeon of Pakistan played a pivotal role in his future professional career promotion. Prof. Hayat Zafar used to take night classes in the ward for final year students.
Fed up with the PMA he founded PDO in 1974 to struggle and fight for the rights of doctors. Prof. Iftikhar Ahmad was Patron and Dr. Khalid Nawaz General Secretary of PDO. After a policy decision PDO took over all PMA branches in Punjab after elections except Lahore. While serving at NMC Multan, he started a low profile campaign against unlimited private practice by medical teachers which was not liked by many. He used to take night rounds regularly.
Writing about his training at JPMC in 90s he recalls that every morning at 8.15 AM there used to be clinical meeting under the supervision of Prof. Ibrahim All the admissions during the last twenty four hours were discussed. Regular bed side teachings was a routine. Students used to present history, physical findings and diagnosis. Col. Azmi was the visiting physician and his approach to clinical diagnosis was very good. In the morning presentations Prof. Ibrahim used to ask the trainees FCPS, what is the source of livelihood of your patient? How many children he/she has and what are the living conditions of their house? He was the only professor who used to talk of human aspects of patient’s disease. He used to say never see towards the patient as a source of your income. You serve the patient, Allah will take care of your needs, bless you and your family.
He also recalls that once no student came and I was the only one but even then Prof. Zaka Hassan took the class. That was the devotion and dedication among the teachers in those good old days. He was transferred to DHQ Hospital Faisalabad in 1974 and Dr. Sadat Ali Zaidi the Physician at DHQ was transferred and posted as Assistant Professor in KEMC. But he used to do private practice in Faisalabad regularly hence he maneuvered my transfer from Faisal Abad. Once in an incident wherein I was able to save the life of a young girl taught me a lesson that lifesaving drugs should always be available in Emergency Cupboards of the wards. He had keen interest in neurology and his posting and training during fellowship under Prof. Zaki Hassan at JPMC also helped him a lot.
The tradition of night rounds and bedside teaching initiated by Col. Elahi Bakhsh, Prof. Baloch and Prof. Peerzada in KEMC was revived when I was posted at KEMC. Combination Prof Bashir Ahmad as Principal and Prof. Munir ul Haque as Medical Superintendent Mayo Hospital had a good working relationship and in those days most patients used to get free drugs. On the last day of his retirement Prof. Bashir Ahmd, he recalls ,worked till 12.00 midnights, disposed of all the files and met his staff, thanked them for their cooperation. I was with him till midnight on that day. Habit of night classes and night rounds has remained my favorite hobby wherever I was posted, he writes.
Writing about his arrest and later sentence by Summary Military Court, he recalls that once Lt. Gen. Sawar Khan Governor Punjab attended a function at RMC. When I was introduced he said, “You are Dr. Eice. Change your behavior otherwise you will be taught a lesson and posted in some dispensary situated in a Forest.”
Throughout out our struggle for improvement of working conditions for doctors, my advice to doctors was that under no circumstances emergency service will be closed, all emergency operations should go on. It was adhered to by doctors all over Pakistan.
He was arrested for the second time in 1981. He was charged of trespassing into an OT and tried to stop surgeon from surgery thus interfering in the official duty. It was alleged that this incident occurred on 5th though actually it happened on 4th. During trial when I pointed out this, the presiding officer of Summary Military Court changed the date and it helped me in my reinstatement later. Witness against me was son in law of Additional IG Police special branch and this also helped me later. In Jail I was kept under watch by the intelligence agencies. As a result of PDO struggle government agreed to:
- 100% paid house job to medical and dental graduates.
- Two hundred new posts of doctors were created.
- Prepare service structure for doctors to enable them to go upto Grade 20 and above.
- Grade 17 to medical and dental graduates on induction
- Increase in salary of house Job doctors.
He also recalls that when government agencies were looking for his arrest, one doctor invited him to spend a night at his house. When in the morning I went to Ganga Ram Hospital with him, police were waiting for me and I was arrested. This became possible because of betrayal of the doctor at whose house I had spent that night. Medical Spud of Mayo Hospital Lahore did not give statement against me and told the court that he was not informed of this incident by the concerned professor. Medical Superintendent of DHQ Hospital Rawalpindi Dr. Ikram ul Haq was to attend the hanging of Mr. Bhutto, he disappeared as he did not want to be party to this history making moment hence some other doctor was hurriedly brought in. When I was released from Jail, I went to thank the Deputy Superintendent of Jail Mr. Omar Daraz, he asked me to disappear immediately as the news of his release had annoyed Governor Lt. Gen. Jilani who said why I was released without his permission.
Mr. Mustafa Sadiq Editor Daily Wafaq who was student of my uncle in India before partition played a key role in my reinstatement by requesting Chief Minister Mian Nawaz Sharif. On reinstatement he joined Quaid-e-Azam Medical College Bahawalpur after a period of nine years. When I complained against a section officer to Punjab Health Secretary Mr. Pervez Masud who misbehaved with me when I went to see him during my reinstatement struggle, he took immediate action and transferred him. He also has lot of good words to say about Chief Secretary Punjab Mr. Anwar Zahid as well. During his professional career he served as Professor and Principal at the following medical institutions:
- Quaid-e-Azam Medical College Bahawalpur.
- Allama Iqbal Medial College Lahore.
- Sheikh Zayed Medical College Rahim Yar Khan
- Akhtar Saeed Medical College Lahore.
- Sargodha Medical College, Sargodha.
- Prof, of Medicine KEMC
- Prof Medicine Islam Medical College, Sialkot.
- Dean Academics, UHS Lahore
- Commissioner Punjab HealthCare Commissions, Punjab.
- Member Board of Directors Punjab Health Foundation, Lahore.
Prof. Bashir Ahmad Principal KEMC, he writes, gave me lot of responsibilities as a faculty member, I was also made Warden of Boys Hostel. In fact he was training me for an administrator post in later years. Prof. Bashir himself used to complete the list of surgery even if it was 8.00 PM in the evening or longer which was setting an example for future neurosurgeons. He also encouraged me to fight for my reinstatement and do not lose heart. Prof. Bashir once told me that even if someone phones him at 2.00AM at night I feel it moral duty to return the call, he says.
When Prof. Ijaz Ahsan was Principal of KEMC, there was a time when discipline in Boys Hostel collapsed. Some students used to collect Jagger Tax from Wagons and from traders. Outsiders after committing crimes, used to reside in the hostel rooms with students. I wrote affectionate letter to all the students in hostel reminding them that their parents have sent them to study medicine and become doctors. They should not indulge in undesirable activities. Asked them to pay mess and hostel dues and do not lodge outsiders in hostel.
One day traders of Hall road went on strike because some students living in Hall Road hostel demanded Jagga Tax, the matte was reported to IG Police. I brought this to the notice of Prof. Ijaz Ahsan and with his permission raids were conducted during day time and early hours of morning. Twenty students were boarded in police vans and put in police lock up. Ammunition was also recovered from their rooms. Prof. Ijaz Ahsan, Prof. Naseer Akhtar and Prof. Mahmood Ali Malik who followed Prof. Ijaz Ahsan as Principal of KEMC fully supported me in maintaining order in hostels with the result that calm returned to hostels life. Every month we had to borrow from Bank for running the Mess, many students never used to pay but once discipline was restored and when I left KEMC, we had a Bank Balance of Rs. twenty five lacs. Prof. Mahmood Ali Malik established the tradition Summer Camp for medical students and they were trained in clinical skills. He was an excellent teacher with tremendous knowledge about human nutrition and diabetes management.
Restoring Discipline at QAMC
When I was appointed Principal of QAMC on the request of local MNAs and MPAs, he write, there was complete chaos and indiscipline in the institution. Medical colony was converted into medical market town. Teachers had displayed numerous boards on roads of the colony and city roads. For operations some bargained with relatives for money at their residences. I counselled the teachers to desist from this malpractice. When some did not change themselves, three professors were forcefully transferred from QAMC. All name boards on roads in medial colony were removed within three days. If a teacher will not come in time I will go and start taking the class. When the teacher came he was embarrassed and thus rectified their habit of coming late to lecture halls. I enforced 75% attendance for send up examination. Many students were not allowed to appear in professional university examinations. This improved attendance in theory, lectures and laboratories wards.
All the student’s bodies formed on basis of cast, region, race patronized by some faculty members were dissolved by an executive order. Steps were taken to improve administrative and patient’s health care at BVH Hospital. Clerks involved in corruption were transferred or their seats were changed. All these measures helped restore discipline in the institution.
Posting at AIMC/Jinnah Hospital as CEO
He also recalls that Prof. Amir Aziz as Chief Executive Officer of AIMC/Jinnah Hospital wanted enforce discipline which was resisted by a few faculty members. Prof.Amer Aziz expelled six professors form AIMC on disciplinary reasons. Differences between Prof. Amir Aziz and a member of the Board Mr. Arif Nizami resulted in the resignation of Prof. Amir Aziz. When I was appointed as CEO of Jinnah Hospital, we could not develop good working relationship. I developed differences with Riaz Ahsan Siddiqui the Principal due to purchase of car from student’s funds. After his resignation, I was also given charge of Principal of AIMC. I took many steps which killed the worms of indiscipline present in the minds of students of college. One of the students against whom I had taken action, went to the Court and during hearing in Lahore High Court, the presiding judge threatened of action against me. I asked him to take action straight away and there was a turmoil in court room. I was served notice but I never replied.
When I suffered from AMI, was admitted in PIC where I was looked after by Prof. Nadeem Hayat Malik and Dr. Shahid Hamid to whom I remain indebted, he writes. He served at Rahim Yar Khan thrice in 1972, 1975 and again in 2003. He has particularly mentioned the names of Dr. Abdul Khaliq, Dr. Niaz, Dr. Moin Qurehsi, Dr. Salim Bajwa, Dr. Abdul Salam and Dr. M. Tufial who worked with devotion and dedication in Rahim Yar Khan and Sadiqabad in those days. He also served as founder Principal of Akhtar Saeed Medical College and got it recognized from PM&DC. Earlier he had got recognition of SZMC Rahim Yar Khan as well. He also served at Sargodha Medical College and later at Islam Medical College Sialkot. He has tried to please by mentioning the names of numerous faculty members of medical colleges where he served, their owners and even all others in bureaucracy and public who helped him during his stay at different places.
Institutional Practice
While his love for starting institutional practice is commendable but it also requires some pre-requisites. At present most of the public medical colleges and healthcare facilities do not have even proper sitting arrangements for patients, wash rooms and other essential facilities hence it is neither feasible not practical. First the authorities will haves to make some investment and provide these facilities. Then many faculty members will be opting for institution based practice themselves and authorities won’t have to force them. Moreover, at present the pay and facilities offered to faculty are not enough for them to live comfortable life and also look after their families, children hence for them opting for private practice remains the only alternative.
Of course unethical practices needs to be checked at all cost. Prof. Eice Muhammad has a small family, does not have much financial requirements hence the way he looks at many things may not be appropriate for others. Since he himself has suffered a lot, has witnessed lot of unethical practices by the healthcare professionals, he has become suspicious of perhaps every one which is not liked by those healthcare professionals who work with honesty, uphold professional ethics.
The book also has certain inaccuracies. The cardiac surgeon who came to examine him in Rawalpindi Jail is mentioned as Dr. Khalid Latif Chaudhry but perhaps it was late Col. M. Aslam Cheema. Cardiac Surgeon Masud ur Rehman Keyani has been mentioned as Lt. Gen. Similarly the ranks of other two AMC officers Dr. Ashraf Mallhi and Dr. Azmat Rashid have also been mentioned as Lt. Generals but they all retired as Major Generals. Name of President CPSP Prof.Shoaib Shafi has been mentioned as Shoiab Sheikh.
The incident of a Deputy Medical Superintendent of Mayo Hospital who opposed the strike call by young doctors was manhandled by the doctors is also covered in the book. He is reported to have been garlanded with shoes and taken on a donkey ride as reported in the book. To me this is in bad taste. If someone does not agree with you and has a different viewpoint, this is not the way to treat him and one should not be pleased at such episodes. In fact this needs to be condemned.
