LAHORE: The Lahore High Court has suspended the proceedings on a complaint before the Punjab Healthcare Commission (PHC) against Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital & Research Centre (SKMCH&RC).

A woman/respondent, Nadia Amir, had filed a complaint with the PHC to take legal action against the hospital on the ground of negligence, malpractice, causing mental stress and psychological trauma to her.

She approached the hospital for her blood group test and a wrong report was issued identifying the incorrect group (A+ve) which did not match with her screening report duly issued by the Horizon Hospital which states her blood group as A-ve.

She again approached the hospital as well as Indus Lab for re-test of her blood group, which was confirmed as A-ve. She filed a complaint with the PHC and its director (complaints) issued a notice to the SKMCH&RC for a written reply.

The hospital filed its reply explaining facts and raising objections to the maintainability of the complaint. However, the director (complaints) rejected the objections by the hospital.

The hospital challenged the decision of the PHC before a sessions court, which also met the same fate.

Representing the hospital before the LHC, Advocate Rabbiya Bajwa argued that the respondent/woman filed a false and frivolous complaint and both the forums (PHC and sessions court) passed the impugned orders without properly appreciating the facts and relevant laws.

She further argued that the complaint was clearly time barred and was not maintainable.

Issuing the stay order, Justice Jawad Hassan observed that the points raised by the petitioner’s counsel needed consideration.

The judge sought replies from the respondents by April 14 and stayed the proceedings before the PHC on the complaint till a decision of the petition.

Published in Dawn, March 16th, 2022