Pakistan Doctors Work 102 Hours a Week
Islamabad High Court seeks PMDC view on excessive working hours, citing international limits and risks to patient safety, with doctors' impairment equivalent to a blood alcohol level of 0.1 after 24 hours of continuous duty
The Islamabad High Court has directed the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council to examine the issue of excessive working hours for doctors, citing international limits and the potential risks to patient safety. The court observed that requiring doctors to work up to 102 hours a week was inhuman.
The court's decision comes after comments submitted by the College of Physicians and Surgeons Pakistan highlighted the serious consequences of prolonged duty hours for both doctors and patients. According to the comments, after approximately 18 hours of work, doctors develop psychomotor dysfunction equivalent to a blood alcohol level of 0.05. At 24 hours of continuous duty, the impairment of doctors is stated to be equivalent to a blood alcohol level of 0.1.
In comparison, the European Working Time Directive provides for a maximum average working week of 48 hours for doctors, while in the US, the maximum duty hours per week for doctors is 80, averaged over four weeks. The court's decision aims to address the issue of excessive working hours for doctors and ensure a healthy work-life balance.
The Pakistan Medical and Dental Council has been directed to place its recommendations before the federal and provincial governments for appropriate action. The issue assumes significance as tired doctors make more mistakes than doctors who are fresh, alert and properly supervised.
## Why it matters The court's decision highlights the importance of regulating working hours for doctors to ensure patient safety. Excessive working hours can lead to impaired judgment, increased risk of errors, and decreased quality of care. The international limits cited by the court, such as the 48-hour working week in Europe and the 80-hour limit in the US, demonstrate that Pakistan's 102-hour working week for doctors is excessive and needs to be addressed.
The court's decision is a step towards ensuring that doctors in Pakistan work in a safe and healthy environment, which is essential for providing quality care to patients. The Pakistan Medical and Dental Council's recommendations will be crucial in determining the future of working hours for doctors in the country.
