The Government of Punjab’s Specialized Healthcare and Medical Education (SHC&ME) Department has suspended four postgraduate resident doctors and issued a show-cause notice to a senior department head after a deeply disturbing video from the operating theatre of Lady Willingdon Hospital went viral on social media, showing medical staff apparently treating two simultaneous C-section procedures as a competitive race.
The video, which began circulating widely on social media platforms on March 27, shows two surgical teams inside the operation theatre of one of Pakistan’s oldest maternity hospitals. Staff members can be heard narrating the scene as though it were a sporting event, identifying supporters of each team and discussing which group would complete the caesarean section first. The footage also shows apparent violations of patient privacy protocols and the hospital’s ban on mobile phone use inside operating theatres.
According to official notifications dated March 27, 2026 and signed by the Section Officer of the SHC&ME Department, the postgraduate training of four doctors has been suspended with immediate effect and held in abeyance until further orders. All four are specialists in Obstetrics and Gynaecology posted at Lady Willingdon Hospital, Lahore.
The suspension was carried out under Clause 13.2 of the Policy and Procedure Manual (PPM) of Post-Graduate Residency (PGR) of Level-III Programs, which governs the code of conduct for residents in training. The four doctors have been directed to report to the SHC&ME Department headquarters.
The video drew immediate condemnation from citizens, medical professionals, and authorities alike. Social media users expressed horror that the lives of mothers and newborns were being treated as a wager, while medical ethics experts noted that rushing through surgical procedures for competitive purposes could lead to serious complications or even fatalities.
