LAHORE: Prime Minister Maryam Nawaz dismissed the director and the medical superintendent of another important health center in LaHore on Monday, mainly due to the lack of medication availability.
During a visit to the Jinnah hospital, the CM expressed its serious outrage at the complaints of some patients for being deprived of medicines despite their [purported] ‘Availability’ in the installation store. After his complaints, he ordered the elimination of the director of the Jinnah hospital, Professor Asghar Naqi and the Medical Superintendent (MS), Professor Kashif Jahangir of his positions.
Earlier this month, the CM had eliminated May Executive Director Hospital de Lahore (CEO) Dr. Asghar Nauman and Mrs. Prof Dr. Faisal Masood of their positions about complaints from some patients regarding the lack of medication availability, in addition to poor treatment and sanitation conditions.
A video clip shown by the professor of Desaul de CM had generated generalized criticisms by the “public humiliation” of a superior doctor, and some suggest that he should empower and assign the Ministers of Health to improve the provision of services in public hospitals in the province instead of enjoying “political acrobatics.”
CM draws the director of Jinnah, more; Orders that make reports from the hospital verification list daily
On Monday visit to the Jinnah Hospital, the CM interacted with a good number of patients who asked them about the availability of medicines and treatment facilities, including medical tests. Most patients complained not to get medications even in the emergency. Impurity was another problem in the hospital.
It deserves to mention that the Jinnah Model Pharmacy (JMP) of the Jinnah Hospital faced a ‘closure’ due to RS140 million in pending payments. The hospital administration had accused the overload provider under several bosses, including medications, medical devices and other articles.
The supplier suspended the supply of medicines and equipment to critical patients. The delayed payment problem has been persisting for more than a year. Similarly, in the case of the May Hospital, as the medical superintendent had already presented his resignation after RS3.5bn passive slopes of the institute and asked the government many times for the release of the funds.
After the reports that public hospitals in the province face shortage of funds, CM on Monday also ordered the interested authorities to guarantee the immediate payment of the fees of these health facilities. In addition, he ordered to take immediate measures for the provision of free medicines to public sector hospitals.
The CM also presided over a meeting to review the administrative matters of the May Hospital.
She ordered to show the list of medicines in each government hospital in electronic joints. He also ordered to activate and highlight ‘Commitments for Complaints by Maryam Nawaz’ in all government hospitals, in addition to providing fog fans in open waiting areas.
He addressed the interested authorities to visit the hospitals daily and prepare a report from the verification list. “More than one organization will prepare a verification list to learn about the real situation of hospitals. The verification list will include doctors, staff assistance, free medications, laboratory tests, biomedical equipment.”
The CM also directed to guarantee the monitoring of waiting lists for operations and tests in public hospitals. The availability of parking, cafeteria and wheelchairs must also be verified daily.
The CM also ordered to replace the uploaded curtains with blinds in rooms that caused infection.
He directed the Health Commission to carry out an audit of quality of public hospitals laboratories.
Posted in Dawn, March 25, 2025
