IHC Orders PMDC to Review ‘Inhuman’ Work Week for Doctors

News Desk
ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has directed the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) to urgently address the issue of excessive working hours for doctors, terming the current practice of forcing medical professionals to work up to 102 hours a week as “inhuman.”
Hearing a petition on Tuesday, Justice Raja Inaam Ameen Minhas converted the writ petition into a formal representation before the PMDC, ordering the regulatory body to formulate comprehensive recommendations to safeguard healthcare professionals and patients alike.
The court’s intervention highlights a critical crisis in Pakistan’s healthcare sector, supported by alarming submissions from the College of Physicians and Surgeons Pakistan (CPSP).
The CPSP warned that doctors working beyond 18 consecutive hours develop severe psychomotor dysfunction, significantly compromising clinical judgment and patient safety.
In its submission, the college contrasted Pakistan’s grueling schedules with international standards, noting that weekly working hours are strictly capped at 48 hours in Europe and 80 hours in the United States.
This landmark judicial scrutiny addresses a long-standing grievance of young doctors across Pakistan, who frequently endure sleep deprivation, extreme stress, and burnout. Experts warn that overworked medical staff not only face severe personal health risks but also pose an involuntary threat to patient care, increasing the likelihood of medical errors.
Reforming these labor practices is seen as vital to improving the overall quality of public and private healthcare delivery in the country.
Following the court’s directive, the PMDC is mandated to deliberate on the matter and submit its final recommendations to both federal and provincial governments for legislative action.
The medical community eagerly awaits these guidelines, hoping they will pave the way for legally binding shifts, standardized duty rosters, and a healthier working environment across all public and private hospitals.