LAHORE
Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, on Friday, paid surprise visits to Government Teaching Hospital Shahdara and Government High School in Karbath, an adjacent village to Lahore without protocol. He reviewed educational facilities being provided to the students in the school and medical facilities to the patients at Shahdara Hospital.
Both visits of the chief minister lasted for four hours. Shahbaz Sharif inspected various wards of Shahdara hospital, inquired from the patients and their attendants about treatment facilities being provided in the hospital. On a complaint of non-provision of free medicines by some patients, the chief minister took serious notice and expressed indignation. He said that billions of rupees had been provided for provision of free medicines but despite it non-provision of medicines to patients was lamentable. He warned that this situation was intolerable.
Shahbaz Sharif directed that complaints regarding non-availability of medicines should immediately be removed and there should be no complaint in this regard and any negligence in provision of medical facilities will not be tolerated. He inspected operation theatres of the hospital and directed to further improve cleanliness arrangements. He also inspected medical equipment of the hospital. He said that resources of billions of rupees for provision of public health facilities would not be let wasted and he will personally review the facilities being provided to the patients by visiting the hospitals. He reprimanded hospital administration over non-functional of an operation theatre and sterilisation room. He directed that immediate steps should be taken for making operation theatre and sterilisation room functional. The patients and their attendants informed the chief minister about some problems regarding provision of medical facilities and free medicines.
An orphan girl Sana told the chief minister that she had been asked to bring medicines from outside and a “parchi” had also been given in this regard, on which, Shahbaz Sharif expressed strong indignation and came to pharmacy alongwith orphan girl. He directed to provide free treatment to Sana and announced financial assistance for her. He lamented that those facilities were not available to patients and their attendants in the hospital which should be available to them. He went to ENT ward but there was no patient. On inquiry by the chief minister, the administration could not give satisfactory reply. Shahbaz Sharif also went to medical store and inquired about the medicines’ stock.
He inquired from the officials of medicines store about non-availability of some medicines and on unsatisfactory reply, Shahbaz Sharif expressed strong indignation and warned that this situation would not be allowed. He said that he would go to the last extent in provision of quality health facilities to the people. During the visit of the chief minister, MS of the hospital also arrived, on which, Shahbaz Sharif reprimanded MS over not attending office on time. MS of the hospital also could not give satisfactory reply about non-availability of some medicines.
He issued orders for immediate redress of complaint of some patients. Adviser on Health Kh Salman Rafique was also present on this occasion. After visit to Shahdara hospital, Shahbaz Sharif went to Government High School Karbath, adjacent village to Lahore, without any protocol. The administration and officials were unaware of the arrival of the chief minister in the school. Shahbaz Sharif reviewed in detail educational facilities being provided in the school and inspected classrooms, science lab and IT lab. He expressed indignation over non-functioning of computer in IT lab and said that computer labs had been set up with billions of rupees, aimed at equipping new generation with modern technology; therefore, computers should be in working condition at every cost.
The chief minister, taking notice of marking at paper sheets by the children, directed that the builders of the nation come to the school for learning; therefore, no other work should be taken from them. He said that preparation of paper sheets was job of the teachers. No doubt, the status of the teachers is very high and the Punjab government had made recruitments on merit, he added. He directed to improve the condition of classrooms and cleanliness arrangements. He said that the children were future of the nation and provision of best educational facilities to them was our responsibility. He said that he was visiting schools without any information for reviewing provision of quality education to the children. He said that cleanliness was half faith; therefore, the teachers should create awareness among the children in this regard and pay full attention to their character building. He said that education was such an ornament, through which, country could be taken forward.
Therefore, the Punjab government was paying full attention to the promotion of education and teachers were a vanguard in this regard who have to provide education to the new generation. Shahbaz Sharif directed to improve toilets of the school. He stressed upon teachers to give best results regarding promotion of education as this was the national responsibility.
The chief minister said that he was personally reviewing the facilities by visiting schools and hospitals and would go to the last extent for improving medical and educational facilities. Shahbaz Sharif asked questions from the children and gave them Shabash on correct answers. The chief minister inspected various portions of the schools for more than two hours and reviewed the facilities. He also inquired from the teachers about their problems and assured their resolution.