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LAHORE, Jul 15 (APP):Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has approved the establishment of the CM Health Vigilance Squad aimed at improving monitoring and accountability in government hospitals throughout the province.
Initially, three squads will begin functioning as a pilot project. These squads will include doctors, pharmacists, biomedical engineers, budget and accounts officers, data experts, and other relevant personnel. They will be responsible for inspecting the availability of medicines, reviewing duty rosters, evaluating clinical services, checking biomedical equipment, and monitoring various hospital operations.
Chairing a comprehensive meeting to review the ongoing health related initiatives, here on Tuesday, the CM directed that swift action be taken within 24 hours based on the inspection reports submitted by the squads. She also ordered the preparation of a detailed checklist to guide the surveillance process. In addition, she approved the creation of a dedicated Directorate of Monitoring under the Health and Population Department. This new directorate will consist of specialized units for district and tehsil hospitals, as well as primary health centers. A surveillance room within the directorate will operate round the clock to ensure continuous oversight.
During the meeting, it was decided that gastroenterology services would be introduced across government hospitals in Punjab, with a dedicated center to be established at Services Hospital. Emergency wards are set to be upgraded, and trauma centers will be developed in both tehsil and district-level hospitals. A special trauma center will be constructed at Faisal Masood Teaching Hospital in Sargodha, while a cardiology ward will be set up at the teaching hospital in Gujranwala. Four operation theaters equipped with modern medical technology will be made functional at the Cardiology Institute in Multan. In addition, nurses holding BSN degrees will be offered paid internships in government healthcare facilities.
CM Maryam Nawaz reiterated the continuation of free medicine announcements in all hospitals and instructed that strict action be taken against staff who fail to comply. The meeting also approved the establishment of cath labs in eight district hospitals, with a deadline of December 2025 for starting procedures. The CM directed the relevant authorities to ensure that doctors’ residences in remote areas are fully furnished to provide them with a suitable living environment.
The CM requested a detailed report on the availability of ventilators in government hospitals. She also ordered the development of patient waiting areas with shaded seating, cold drinking water, and fans to improve patient comfort. The revamping and outsourcing of the Maryam Nawaz Health Clinic was directed to be completed at the earliest. She also instructed the Health Secretary to conduct re-interviews and appoint Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) and Medical Superintendents (MSs) in hospitals based on performance.
It was shared during the briefing that patient visits to government hospitals have increased by 23 percent, with 70 percent of the population in Punjab relying on public hospitals for treatment. The availability of free medicines in most government hospitals stands at 98 percent. More than ten million patients have benefited from mobile clinics and field hospitals launched under various public health programs. Additionally, 2,541 insulin kits have been provided to Type 1 diabetes patients, while 7,458 hepatitis patients and 8,107 tuberculosis patients have received free medicines across the province.
Officials also noted that patients from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are seeking treatment at the Maryam Nawaz Health Clinic in Murree.
The CM stressed that the majority of people depend on government hospitals and that it is the state’s responsibility to provide them with free healthcare services. She expressed deep concern over reports that some patients are still being forced to purchase medicines externally despite their availability in hospital pharmacies, calling the situation unacceptable.
CM Maryam Nawaz also chaired a meeting to review the progress of the Nawaz Sharif Medical District Project and was briefed on the development of the Nawaz Sharif Institute of Cardiology in Sargodha.