7,674 healthcare providers trained

LAHORE : The Punjab Healthcare Commission issued registrations to 15,425, licences to 11,886, inspected 7,112 healthcare establishments, while trained 7,674 healthcare service providers (HCSPs) in 2018.

Moreover, the PHC closed down 10,772 quacks' outlets and 43 addiction treatment centres, and decided 62 complaints of medical and treatment irregularities. Also, the Commission has organised 200 workshops where 7,674 HCSPs, managers and staff of 7,062 had been trained for the implementation of the minimum service delivery standards (MSDS).

In its performance report released here Tuesday, the Commission maintained that it was issuing registration and licences to the HCEs as per its Act 2010, and so far it has registered over 54,000 and licensed 36,250 HCEs. Also, the PHC has developed MSDS for all kinds of HCEs, and thus far, it has arranged 552 training workshops for the training of 22,287 HCSPs of over 18,000 HCEs, and carried out 17,442 inspections.

In 2018, the enforcement teams of the PHC raided 30,500 and closed down 10,772 quacks' centres. Since July 2015, the Commission has sealed 17,500 outlets, and imposed a fine of over Rs270 million on quacks.

During the last year, the Complaints Directorate has completed investigations on 62 complaints, and issued orders for criminal and departmental proceedings against those found indulgent in medical malpractice, while imposing a fine of Rs47 million on the HCEs.

Also, the Commission raided 82 drug addiction treatment and rehabilitation centres, and evacuated 672 persons. Out of the visited centres, 37 completely and six were partially sealed, and show-cause notices were served on 24 centres after stopping them from taking new admissions and discharging the admitted patients.