PHC suspends surgeries in 9 hospitals

LAHORE: The Punjab Healthcare Commission has suspended surgeries in 11 operation theatres of nine private hospitals and issued show cause notices to 23 healthcare establishments for not implementing Minimum Service Delivery Standards.

According to a press release issued here on Monday, the PHC teams inspected 23 private hospitals in Lahore and Gujranwala districts.

The PHC also issued show cause notices to 11 hospitals for bad hospital waste management. Surgeries were suspended in Saadan Hospital, Kalsoom Hospital, Geo Hospital, Al-Raazi Healthcare and Anwar Hospital of Lahore and in Gujranwala district Friends Surgical Hospital and Swiss Pakistan Hospital, City Hospital and Sial Hospital. They were directed to submit laboratory reports and written replies to the PHC.

The spokesperson of the PHC said since January, the PHC had inspected 427 HCEs, suspended surgeries in 292 OTs and served show cause notices to 383 hospitals for not implementing the MSDS and violating the PHC Act 2010. “The PHC has imposed a fine of more than Rs2.7 million,” he added.

UNICEF: A five-member delegation of UNICEF called on the Provincial Minister for Specialised Healthcare and Medical Education Khawaja Salman Rafique here on Monday. The delegation discussed the issues of infant mortality, maternal mortality and mother and child health.

The delegation was comprised on the UNICEF Regional Director Dr Jame Gream, Chief Field Officer Douglas, UNICEF Chief Health Dr Candy and Punjab UNICEF Health Specialist Dr Tahir Manzoor.

Specialised Healthcare and Medical Education (Technical) Additional Secretary Dr Salman Shahid, Services Institute of Medical Sciences (SIMS) Principal Prof Dr Mehmood Ayaz, Services Hospital Medical Superintendent Dr Muhammad Aamir and Prof Dr Rubina Sohail were present in the meeting.

The meeting reviewed the steps taken to introduce Sick New Borne Care Units (SNCU) and Kangaroo Mother Care Centers (KMC) and training as well as capacity building of the staff.

The meeting was informed that eight SNCUs had already been established in the hospitals of Punjab. 21,500 new born babies were provided healthcare facilities in these units so far. The KMC facility was introduced in the Services Hospital Lahore for which UNICEF provided technical assistance.

UNICEF also provided training to the 400 health department staff for this purpose. The meeting stressed promotion of breast feeding to overcome the infant fatal diseases. Khawaja Salman informed the delegation about the rural ambulance service for pregnant women to reduce infant mortality rate. He thanked the UNICEF for cooperation in uplifting health sector in Punjab.