SC orders private hospitals to remove encroachments

LAHORE: The Supreme Court (SC) on Saturday ordered all private hospitals, functioning in the provincial capital, to remove their illegal structures on their own, or the Lahore Development Authority (LDA) would do it within one week.

A two-judge bench, headed by Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar, also ordered the Federal Investigation Agento acquire the accounts of National Hospital, DHA, for the purpose of its forensic audit. It further directed the owner of Farooq Hospital to deposit one million rupees in the fund set up for Diamer-Basha and Mohmand dams.

Hearing a suo motu matter regarding overcharging and lack of facilities at private hospitals, Chief Justice Nisar observed that it was the private health sector which cashed in on the failure of public hospitals. “People are compelled to avail costly medical facility at private hospitals,” regretted the chief justice.

The bench directed Punjab Healthcare Commission head Dr Ajmal Khan to upload a report about price lists of private hospitals on its website to invite objections from the stakeholders.

Taking up the issue of building laws’ violation by Doctors Hospital in particular, the bench directed the LDA to remove within one week all non-compoundable illegalities committed by all private hospitals in their structure if they failed to do so voluntarily.

The bench allowed 15-day time to Surgimed Hospital and Akram Medical Complex to cover the drain with fibre roof on Zafar Ali Road.

Earlier, Wasa managing director told the court that wall had been erecting around the drain at a cost of Rs8 million. He said the remaining work of covering the drain was now the responsibility of both hospitals, which were situated along the drain.

Hearing another matter about conditions of public sector hospitals in the province, the chief justice sought a report from the government on dedicated rehabilitation centres for addicts.

Earlier, a special secretary for health told the court that all government hospitals in Lahore had allocated units of five to six beds for the patients having drug addiction, but there was no consolidated facility for the treatment of addicts in public sector.

Dr Ajmal Khan of the healthcare commission stated that an authority envisaged by Punjab Mental Health Act 2001 had not been established so far.

Meanwhile, the special secretary health informed the court that a proposal for increase in pay scale of doctors had been prepared by a ministerial committee to place it before the provincial cabinet. He said the up gradation of the pay scales required Rs29.4 billion per annum.