Lack of facilities in hospital shocks CM

Suspends LGH MS, AMS; announces emergency for construction and repair of hospital washrooms

LAHORE

Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has suspended Medical Superintendent of General Hospital and duty AMS while transferring Principal Postgraduate Medical Institute while expressing shock over lack of medical facilities provided to patients at Lahore General Hospital.

The chief minister took this decision while presiding over a meeting here Monday which reviewed the problems and difficulties faced by the patients which came to his notice during his visit to General Hospital, the other day.

The chief minister while taking action over delay in operations, poor sanitary arrangements, dirty bed sheets, uncovered switch board of electricity, poor state of washrooms and non-wearing of overall by the doctors on duty issued orders for immediate suspension of Medical Superintendent, duty AMS and the doctors not wearing the overall. He also ordered transfer of Principal Postgraduate Medical Institute.

Addressing the meeting, the chief minister said that he was shocked at the lack of medical facilities provided to patients. He said it was the basic responsibility of hospital administration to spare no effort in the service of ailing humanity but it was lamentable that proper treatment facilities were not available to poor patients in a medical institution like General Hospital. He said there was no justification for delay in operations of poor patients. He said had these patients been well-to-do their operations would have been carried out timely while all medical facilities would also have been available to them.

He said that delay in operations of poor patients in a hospital was injustice and could not be tolerated. He said those who were negligent and did not have the spirit of service to ailing humanity had no right to stay on their posts. He said that service to the people was his mission and he would fulfill at any cost. He said that non-wearing of overall by a doctor was a dereliction of duty. He said he was shocked at the state of affairs in General Hospital during his visit. He said that sanitary conditions were poor, bathroom were dirty, soap was not available and bed sheets were unclean despite the fact that there were thousands of bed sheets in the stock.  He said that improvement in sanitary conditions in the hospital and ensuring cleanliness of walls was the responsibility of hospital administration. He said that if hospital administration could not ensure discipline and proper cleanliness arrangements, those responsible had no right to stay on their posts. The chief minister announced emergency for construction and repair of washrooms of hospitals, supply of water and provision of clean bed sheets and issued instructions that Commissioners and Districts Coordination Officers should undertake visits to teaching hospitals as well like district and tehsil headquarters hospitals.

He expressed strong indignation over negligence and dereliction of duty and said that this situation would not be tolerated in Punjab. He said he personally paid visit to the hospital and reviewed the situation. He said had there been an effective checks and balances and the officers concerned performed their duties efficiently, the situation would have been different. Shahbaz Sharif said that he was answerable to Allah Almighty as well as people and this kind of irresponsible attitude would not be tolerated. 

reshuffle: The Specialised Healthcare and Medical Education Department, on Monday, has given additional charge of the post of Principal of Lahore General Hospital to Dr Ghiyas-un-Nabi Tayyab, Professor of Gastroenterology, and additional charge of Medical Superintendent to Dr Junaid Mirza, PMO, with immediate effect.

DFID head: Head of British Department for International Development (DFID) in Pakistan Ms. Joanna Reid called on Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif and appreciated the measures taken by the Punjab government for the improvement of education, health and skill development sectors.

She said that Shahbaz Sharif had introduced comprehensive reforms for the betterment of social sectors and positive results were being witnessed. 

Saad: Federal Minister for Railways Kh. Saad Rafique met Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif and congratulated him on splendid success of the Muslim League-N in Azad Kashmir elections.

The chief minister said that selfless service to the masses was the hallmark of the Muslim League-N.

He said the victory in general elections, local bodies and now in the election of Azad Kashmir had proved that people liked those who believed in public service.

He said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Pakistan was on the road to progress and prosperity. He said that it was time for unity and consensus and there was no room for politics of protest and chaos in the country. He said some elements were trying to sabotage the process of progress of people and prosperity of the country but they would fail in their negative designs.