ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Tuesday directed the additional attorney general to submit details of government, private and semi-government medical and dental colleges and hospitals in the country after getting information from the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) in 10 days.
The court also directed all the four provincial advocate generals to submit separate reports on medical colleges and hospitals in their respective provinces within two weeks.A three-member bench of the apex court, headed by Acting Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar and comprising Justice Iqbal Hameedur Rehman and Justice Khilji Arif Hussain, heard a suo motu case on the death of more than 90 heart patients in the Punjab Institute of Cardiology on account of spurious drugs.
During the proceedings, the PMDC counsel submitted a report on medical colleges.The court termed the report incomplete and directed to submit new concise reports.Justice Saqib remarked that the healthy life of every citizen should be a priority and it was necessary to provide education and health facilities to them as the Constitution guaranteed life security.
He said doctors had an important role in the health sector and the court would examine the process of issuing No Objection Certificates (NoCs) for establishing medical colleges by the PMDC and it would also check the facilities provided by these medical colleges. He asked whether all facilities were being provided in the public and private medical colleges and hospitals.
“We have witnessed that spurious medicines were being supplied to hospitals in Lahore while some hospitals even do not have stitching machines,” he said.He observed that some medical colleges were working without hospitals and asked how they had arranged practical training for their students. A 500-bed hospital was necessary for the registration of a medical and dental college, he added.
Justice Saqib remarked that ensuring provision of basic human rights was a responsibility of the courts and the SC would not ignore the matter.Justice Iqbal remarked that many people lost their lives in District Layyah due to poisonous sweets and no facility was available in the local hospitals for their treatment.The court adjourned the hearing till third week of May.