RAWALPINDI: Punjab Caretaker Minister for Primary and Secondary Healthcare Dr Jamal Nasir on Sunday conducted surprise visits to Holy Family Hospital, Benazir Bhutto Hospital, District Headquarters (DHQ) Hospital and Rawalpindi Institute of Urology (RIU) and reviewed treatment facilities and performance of doctors and paramedical staff.

The caretaker minister took notice of the lack of X-ray films in hospitals and called an emergency meeting of the health department on Monday to review the situation and solve the problem.

On this occasion, Secretary (Primary and Secondary Health) Ali Jan, Additional Secretary (Development) Rashid Irshad and other relevant officials were also with him.

Dr Nasir said that negligence in providing treatment facilities should not be tolerated and strict action would be taken against those who were negligent in duty.

He said that the protection of doctors and paramedical staff would be made possible in every possible way and patients and their families cannot be allowed to take the law into their own hands and make doctors and paramedical staff face violence.

He said that necessary laws will be made for the protection of doctors and paramedical staff and will be implemented, adding that if patients or their family members have a complaint about the negligence of a doctor or paramedical staff member, it should be brought into the notice of the MS concerned because there is a formal system for redressal of these complaints.

Dr Nasir said that unannounced visits are being made to government treatment centres across the province so that facilities can be inspected personally. He was also asked about patients and facilities being provided to them.

Published in Dawn, June 5th, 2023