LAHORE: Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has released over Rs1.3 billion to overcome the financial crisis at the Mayo Hospital which is facing a shortage of Rs3.75bn funds for the last one year.

The CM took action after the cardiology department head, Prof Dr Imran Waheed, had to shut down his ward after suspension of the life-saving medicines and other disposable items while heads of other wards also issued warnings to take the same step over the same reasons.

The hospital’s Accident & Emergency Department also painted a gloomy picture when a woman additional medical superintendent, in her report, prepared a long list of life-saving medicines and surgical items short in supply, leading to the suspension of several critical surgeries.

According to an official, the 2,700-bed largest teaching hospital of Punjab still needs Rs2.75bn to run its functions. The amount released by the Punjab government would help pay pending liabilities to some contractors but it would overcome the financial crisis for a couple of months only, he says. “If the pending amount is not released, the hospital would again face the same crisis,” the official warns.

He declares the release of funds after every financial crisis a strategy of ‘firefighting’ and a stopgap arrangement.

Unfortunately, the official says, several surgeries were postponed during the last many months following suspension of supply of life-saving drugs and surgical items required for operations.

According to the official, around 10,000 patients visit the Mayo Hospital daily and the government would have to come up with a permanent solution to address its chronic problems.

Another disturbing part is about frequent theft of drugs, medical equipment and valuable electric cables during the last a few months.

After services at the hospital got affected badly, Punjab Health Secretary Azmat Mahmood and King Edward Medical University Vice Chancellor Prof Mahmood took up the matter with the government, briefed it about the factors behind the sorry state of affairs and got the funds released.

“The chief minister has released Rs1.3bn under various heads to address the financial issues of the hospital,” the KEMU VC told Dawn.

He said the amount would help get supply of suspended life-saving drugs, disposable and other items.

Published in Dawn, October 25th, 2024