LAHORE, Dec 5: The Lahore High Court on Wednesday directed the Punjab Health Department to submit a detailed report on sanitary conditions at all public sector hospitals of the province.

A citizen filed a petition through Advocate Muhammad Atif questioning the unhygienic conditions and poor state of affairs at government hospitals.

The petition was filed in the wake of an incident at a Rawalpindi hospital where a rat bit a newborn baby.

The petitioner stated that almost all public sector hospitals had poor hygiene standards that caused diseases among patients as well as visitors. He said stray animals were often found inside wards.

He said the government authorities had failed to provide a clean environment at public health facilities, and prayed to the court to direct the provincial government in this regard.

After hearing the arguments, Justice Nasir Saeed Sheikh sought a reply from the Punjab government within two weeks.