Islamabad : Health beat reporters were left aghast when the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Pakistan Justice Saqib Nisar expressed satisfaction over the quality of patient care and services being provided at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS).
The calm and calculated demeanor of the CJ, who paid a ‘surprise’ visit to the bedecked hospital Tuesday morning, was rather unexpected. Health beat reporters made several attempts to draw his attention towards the inadequacies plaguing the city’s leading public sector hospital, but their questions were effectively dismissed.
The CJ was of the view that an overnight turnaround is not possible; that the PIMS administration is trying to affect improvements and hence deserves more time; and that he will revisit the hospital after two or three months for review. He was keen to appreciate the good, than to order action against the bad and the ugly.
Accompanied by Justice Mazhar Alam Miankhel and Justice Sardar Tariq Masood, the CJ was shown around various departments including the Cardiac Centre and the Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Centre, among others. He was flanked by the Executive Director of PIMS Dr. Amjad Mehmood, Deputy Executive Director Dr. Zulfiqar Ghori, and heads of various departments.
Patients and attendants who were eager to personally report their woes to the CJ were efficiently barred. The visit was restricted to wards and sections that are either newly constructed or relatively well maintained. However, when the media insisted, the CJ visited Surgical Ward 3, where patients were lying in corridors and on stretchers, rather than on hospital beds. This is when the CJ questioned Dr. Amjad about shortage of beds.
No immediate orders were issued when a reporter forwarded the complaint of a hapless father who had brought his son Dilbar to PIMS for surgery after remaining on the waiting list for a whole year. And when he came to the hospital Tuesday after having a 12-month painful wait, he had once again been told to appear after 7 months on January 17, 2019!
The issue of absenteeism of appointed heads of some departments, and non-recruitment of heads in several other departments, where positions are lying vacant, was also raised. “I am looking into new recruitments myself,” the CJ responded.
The CJ directed the Ministry of Capital Administration and Development Division to release funds for PIMS as and when required, and also offered to make donations himself. “PIMS should make more efforts to restore patient confidence. I am hopeful that the standard of hospitals will improve over time,” he stated. The CJ further vowed to resist and abort the culture of strikes and protests at PIMS. “It is your duty to serve patients. You should adhere to your timings and attach importance to patient care,” he advised doctors.
The CJ appointed health reporter Razia Khan as a focal person, entrusting her with the task of collecting 10 samples of random medicines from PIMS and Poly Clinic and submitting these to the Supreme Court for quality check. He advised his personal staff to remain in touch with her for feedback on issues related to patient care.
Earlier on, Dr. Amjad briefed the CJ about recent initiatives taken to improve the functioning of the hospital. While assuring resolution of patients’ complaints, Dr. Amjad pledged to resign from his post if he fails to bring about transformative change in the hospital within the next 12 to 18 months.
