Three days after being absent from work without permission, Lou Jiying, a female doctor in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, was classed as being AWOL. In fact, her employer officially listed her as "voluntarily quitting job."

But there is always another side to every story. Lou had in fact gone to the quake-hit zone in Sichuan Province to offer medical aid to victims. When news of this story broke in early June, the punishment meted out to Lou triggered much debate. How, people wondered, could the kindhearted actions of someone wanting to help her fellow people be dealt with in such a harsh manner?

Lou is an assistant physician in Chongqing Yangguang Hospital. After the May 12 earthquake rocked Wenchuan County, she applied to go to the disaster area but her application was not approved. Nevertheless, Lou went to the quake area together with three of her colleagues whose applications had been approved by the hospital. She stayed for three days, helping many injured during this time.

However, when she returned to Chongqing, Lou was told to resign as punishment for the three days she had been absent without permission from the hospital.

Her employer argued that Lou had challenged the professional ethics for doctors. Actually, on the same day Lou went to the quake zone, Yangguang Hospital was told to receive those who were injured in the temblor. Because of the shortage of medical staff, the hospital's president stressed that Lou should not leave her post, an instruction she ignored.

As for Lou's behavior, opinions vary in online debates. Those opposed to her actions said that even though her motives were pure, she was not supposed to do whatever she wanted regardless of the overall situation during that critical time. If everyone rushed to the quake zone to help, neglecting their own work, the country would slip into chaos, they said. Many were of the opinion that if Lou felt the need to help that strongly she should have formally quit her job so that she could devote herself to the relief work. Therefore, the hospital had good reason to deal with Lou in accordance with relevant regulations, they said.

Others who applaud Lou's actions said she went to the quake zone not for any individual interests but to serve as a volunteer and her action did not cause any irreversible loss to her hospital. Her violation of hospital disciplines should be forgiven against the background of the massive quake, when every kindhearted person hopes to do some good where they can, her supporters said.

Do your own job first

Wu Hangmin (hlj.rednet.cn): According to the news report, Lou's hospital also received people injured in the earthquake and these