THIS is apropos the news item “Punjab to ‘outsource’ basic health project” (May 14). I just want to add that the health sector in Punjab is deteriorating.

The people do not trust government hospitals and health facilities and prefer to get treated at private hospitals. The government is spending billions of rupees, but the sorry state of affairs in these healthcare establishments is alarming.

Just imagine when a poor person is forced to sell his property to get treatment in private clinics. Our maid asked for help as she had some severe heart problem.

When I advised her to seek medical treatment in any government hospital, she said that when a BS-20 officer of the Punjab government does not get any attention at the Punjab Institute of Cardiology (PIC), how could she?

Recently, the house where she worked was an officer of BS-20 in the Punjab government. He had developed some heart problem and went to the PIC emergency block for treatment. After two days, he was discharged and asked to get time from the out-patient department for angioplasty.

His request for angioplasty was not heeded and, thereafter, he went to a private hospital for angioplasty. I was forced to think that the health department needs to be outsourced to transform it from a sick unit to a viable people-friendly enterprise.

When our rulers prefer to get treatment abroad, how could government hospitals and establishments be their priority? The Punjab chief minister, being the health minister himself, should take stock of the situation.

A citizen

Lahore

Published in Dawn, May 22nd, 2015

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