Health minister suspends THQ Pasrur MS over negligence

SIALKOT, Jul 13 (APP): Provincial Minister for Primary Healthcare and Population Khawaja Imran Nazir on Monday visited THQ Hospitals Pasrur and Chawinda.

Taking serious notice of mismanagement and negligence at THQ Hospital Pasrur, he ordered the immediate suspension of Medical Superintendent Dr Rahat Mehmood.

During the inspection of THQ Hospital Pasrur, the minister expressed strong displeasure over air conditioners in the administrative block being operated below the government-prescribed temperature of 26 degrees Celsius.

He also took notice of administrative rooms where officers and staff were absent while air conditioners remained switched on. He directed that no air conditioner in any government office should be operated below 26 degrees Celsius in accordance with the government’s energy conservation policy.

The minister also expressed concern over the absence of an air conditioner in the hospital’s drugs store and directed the authorities to install one immediately to ensure that medicines are stored at the required temperature.

He further expressed dissatisfaction over the non-availability of a government ambulance for a patient requiring referral to another hospital. Taking serious notice of the overall administrative shortcomings, he ordered the suspension of the Medical Superintendent Dr Rahat Mehmood.

Khawaja Imran Nazir also took strict notice of the non-payment of salaries to sanitary workers and security staff for the last three months and directed the concerned companies to clear all outstanding dues within three days.

Speaking to the media, the provincial minister said that, on the directions of Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif, he was visiting public hospitals to personally assess quality of healthcare services being provided to the public.

He emphasized that all facilities provided by the government must reach the people effectively. He announced that, wherever feasible, administrative rooms would be converted into treatment areas for patients, as the government’s foremost priority is to ensure quality healthcare services for the public. He further stated that an effective hospital monitoring system had been established and that all issues were being resolved in a phased manner.

Later, the minister visited THQ Hospital Chawinda, accompanied by Parliamentary Secretary for Local Government Chaudhry Khurram Warraich. He inspected various departments of the hospital, met patients, and inquired about the medical facilities being provided to them.

While talking to the media, Khawaja Imran Nazir said that skin and hair treatment procedures could only be performed by licensed doctors, adding that a comprehensive province-wide operation was underway against unauthorized practitioners in this regard.