NAROWAL: Caretaker Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi paid a surprise visit to the Allama Iqbal Memorial Teaching Hospital, Sialkot, on Wednesday and expressed his anger over bloodstained bed sheets, foul smells, insects crawling in the wards and bed bugs in the mattresses at the hospital.

He warned Principal Hafiz Abdul Sattar and Medical Superintendent Dr Muhammad Ilyas of action if the situation did not improve.

Inspector General of Police Dr Usman Anwar also accompanied the caretaker chief minister.

Mr Naqvi visited wards and asked patients regarding their treatment.

Patients said their mattresses were infested with bedbugs, preventing them from getting any sleep.

Mr Naqvi was angry about the poor cleanliness conditions in the wards and the unclean washrooms.

He also learned about the insulting behaviour of the hospital’s security guards and their extortion of money.

He also reviewed the emergency ward, CT scan room, baby ward, medical ward, surgical ward, TNT nephrology ward, and other wards.

He instructed to arrange a special ambulance to shift a minor patient to Children’s Hospital in Lahore.

The caretaker chief minister ordered immediate legal action against police constable Umar Farooq and hospital security guard Arshad Iqbal, who were accused of extorting money from patients, following a complaint by Shahida Mehnaz in the child ward. Both were arrested on the spot.

Patients and attendants expressed their satisfaction over the provision of free medicines in the hospital.

The chief minister immediately returned the Rs14,000 taken from the woman.

Later, the CM, along with the inspector general of police, visited the Rangpura police station. He also gave instructions for the construction and maintenance of Sialkot Sambarial Road.

Mr Naqvi also visited Sialkot-Sambarial Road site and gave instructions for its early construction and rehabilitation.

Deputy Commissioner Adnan Mehmood Awan and District Police Officer Mohammad Hasan Iqbal rushed to the hospital upon receiving information about the surprise visit of Mr Naqvi.

He visited Sialkot for four hours and issued instructions to the district administration to provide better facilities and service delivery to the citizens.

Published in Dawn, September 7th, 2023