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LAHORE, Jul 07 (APP):Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has directed the immediate implementation of the Red & Blue Code Emergency System across all hospitals in the province.
Chairing a special meeting to review the performance of the Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department, here on Monday, she instructed that the system be put in place within two days and that training and rehearsals be conducted to ensure doctors are fully acquainted with the protocol.
A principal decision was taken to establish the CM Health Vigilance Squad, which will conduct visits to hospitals and monitor the implementation of the Chief Minister’s directives. CM Maryam Nawaz also ordered that ventilators for both adult and pediatric patients be provided in every teaching and district hospital, as part of her government’s broader effort to enhance emergency healthcare facilities.
The CM reviewed the plan to deploy trained doctors to underserved districts in phases and emphasized the establishment of cath labs. Until the completion of these labs, she directed that heart consultants and surgeons must visit district hospitals twice a week to ensure access to cardiac care. She stressed that no patient should suffer due to the unavailability of heart treatment and asked for a comprehensive list of specialists needed in district hospitals.
During the meeting, she gave instructions for comprehensive audits of hospital facilities, including equipment, patient deaths, laboratory services, nursing care, and medical records. She also called for regular monitoring of outsourced services such as hospital cleaning and parking, emphasizing quality control in all areas of hospital management.
CM Maryam Nawaz instructed hospitals to formulate and display clear SOPs for student nurses regarding the administration of injections. She ordered that only trained and experienced nurses be posted in emergency and pediatric wards. To improve communication, she directed the adoption of a pager system for on-duty staff and imposed a complete ban on the use of mobile phones by nurses and paramedical staff during duty hours.
The CM directed the Secretary of Primary and Secondary Healthcare to conduct interviews for the appointment of CEOs and Medical Superintendents (MS) in each district to ensure capable leadership at the local level. She emphasized the need to ensure the proper functioning of CT scan and MRI machines in district hospitals and instructed for the activation of CCTV camera systems to improve surveillance and accountability. It was also decided that an impartial officer would be appointed in the complaints cell, which will work in coordination with the CCTV monitoring section.
Further directives included ensuring that essential medicines are available and provided free of cost to patients at all times. She called for the daily update and public display of the medicine stock available in hospital storerooms. The establishment of trauma centers near emergency departments was also ordered, along with the availability of life-saving drugs and the implementation of internationally recognized life-saving protocols in all hospitals.
The CM directed that all these decisions be implemented within three months, underlining that the public must witness a visible improvement in government hospitals within this timeframe. She reaffirmed her government’s commitment to transforming public healthcare and raising the standard of government hospitals to a level that surpasses private medical facilities.