Mohtasib directs PIMS to provide free-of-cost medicines from March 24

Islamabad: In a bid to facilitate patients at Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), Federal Ombudsman, M. Salman Faruqui has directed the country’s largest hospital’s administration to ensure provision of free of cost medicines to patients from March 24, says a press release.

The Mohtasib expressed the confidence that if the recommendations of Ombudsman Committee on PIMS reforms are implemented in true letter and spirit the institute would become a role model for the whole country.

He said this while chairing a high-level meeting to review the implementation on recommendations of Ombudsman’s Committee on PIMS reforms.

The recommendations by the Ombudsman’s Committee are vital to bring reforms in the functioning of PIMS which needed to be implemented as these recommendations are prepared after hard work by the committee members, Faruqui said.

Wafaqi Mohtasib Salman Faruqui directed the PIMS administration that provision of free of cost medicines to patients was an important issue which should be resolved and gave a deadline of March 24 for this purpose.

Briefing the meeting, Hafiz Ahsaan Ahmed Khokhar, Senior Advisor Wafaqi Mohtasib said that the committee gave 50 suggestions for the betterment of the hospital which should be implemented as soon as possible. He apprised the meeting that currently 901 vacancies were lying vacant in the hospital and suggested that if these posts are filled properly most of the issues could be resolved amicably. Upon which, Federal Ombudsman directed the PIMS administration to fill these posts at earliest.

While briefing the meeting, Dr. Fiaz Ranjha, Health Advisor of Wafaqi Mohtasib gave a detailed look into the matters of PIMS and said that there are 19 such issues which could be resolved without spending a single penny which include security arrangements, Biometric system, betterment in Emergency services, cleanliness problems etc.

He was of the view that with the implementation on Mohtasib recommendations, people’s trust could be built on the hospital and it can earn better reputation.   The meeting was attended by senior advisors of Wafaqi Mohtasib and PIMS top administration.