LAHORE: The State Life Insurance Corporation (SLIC) has suspended cataract surgeries under Sehat Sahulat Programme at all the empanelled private hospitals of the Punjab province.

The step was taken following the serious complaints of implanting substandard/low quality lenses during cataract procedures which were not approved by the Drug Regulatory Authority Pakistan (Drap).

There were also reports that the private hospitals were charging exorbitant rates against the given package for using the DRAP-approved lenses.

The officials apprehend that the alleged misuse of the programme in cataract procedures may unfold many ‘painful stories’ of mistreatment as thousands of patients have undergone eye surgeries at the private hospitals in Punjab.

Complaints about unapproved lenses being cited main reason behind move

They said most of the complaints were related to the insertion of low quality and substandard lenses and the Punjab government ordered a high-level investigations into the matter.

The action by the SLIC was the second one within a couple of months as it had, earlier, completely banned C-section procedures with effect from July 1 under the Sehat Programme at all the empanelled private hospitals of the province on the complaints that most of the health facilities were converting normal deliveries into C-sections for making windfall profits.

The programme has been generating controversies in Punjab due to its alleged misuse by private sector hospitals and the negligence of the health authorities as well.

The fresh development itself shows the scale of the misuse of the programme when the SLIC suspended the cataract surgeries and the Punjab government constituted a high-powered committee to launch investigations.

“Consequent upon the directives from the Punjab Health Initiative Management Company (PHIMC), all cataract surgeries under Sehat Sahulat Programme in Punjab at empanelled hospitals are suspended with immediate effect”, reads the official letter issued by the State Life Insurance Corporation on Aug 29.

The letter (a copy is also available with Dawn) further stated that it has been issued with the approval of the competent authority.

PHIMC Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dr Ali Razaq confirmed to Dawn saying the action was immediately required to stop the practice of implanting the low quality and substandard lenses at the private hospitals in Punjab.

“We had credible information that the private empanelled hospitals were inserting the lenses which were not approved by the Drap,” he said.

Mr Razaq said the matter was brought to the notice of the higher authorities who ordered immediate suspension of the cataract surgeries and high-level investigations into the misuse of the programme.

The Punjab government constituted a six-member committee under the supervision of former vice-chancellor of the King Edward Medical University and professor of ophthalmology Prof Dr Asad Aslam Khan.

Punjab Specialised Healthcare Medical Education Department special secretary Wajid Ali Shah has been made co-convener of the committee.

The other members included Allama Iqbal Medical College Principal Prof Dr Nadeem Hafeez Butt, the director of clinical governance of the Punjab Healthcare Commission, PHFMC CEO Abdul Razaq and any other co-opted member(s).

According to the notification, the committee shall evaluate the practices of private sector health facilities with regard to cataract procedures performed under the programme in Punjab. It shall examine and evaluate the availability of the lenses in these hospitals.

“The committee shall review the complaints of use of unapproved lenses (non-Drap approved) in the private sector hospitals,” reads the notification. It shall also evaluate visibility of use of approved lenses in the cataract procedures within the given package rates.

The committee will check policy guidelines issued by the SLIC regarding usage of lenses and shall furnish its report within 10 days.

Published in Dawn, September 1st, 2023