LAHORE: A video clip showing Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz snubbing the medical superintendent of the Mayo Hospital went viral on Friday, drawing criticism for her “public humiliation” of a senior doctor, with some suggesting she should empower and task the health ministers to improve the service delivery at public hospitals in the province instead of indulging in “political stunts”.

During her visit to the hospital on Thursday, the CM had ordered removal of its chief executive officer (CEO) Dr Asghar Nauman and medical superintendent Prof Dr Faisal Masood on complaints of some patients regarding the non-availability of medicines, besides poor treatment and sanitation conditions at the major healthcare facility.

PML-N lawmaker Hina Pervez Butt uploaded the video on her X account in which CM Maryam was seen snubbing the senior medic in front of a team of her party fellows and bureaucrats.

X users suggest funds used for CM’s publicity could be diverted to hospitals

“Are you MS here … you don’t know anything. Who appointed you here? You don’t even know what is happening to patients here,” the CM said and ordered that MS should be fired.

Addressing the MS Dr Masood, who is also a professor of orthopedics, she said: “You should be thankful that I am not getting you arrested.”

With many on different social media platforms terming the public humiliation of a senior doctor “highly inappropriate”, some suggested the CM should not copy her uncle Shehbaz Sharif’s style of firing officials on the spot, rather she should task her two health ministers with improving the affairs of the public hospitals in Punjab, and take action against them if they fail to do so.

Khwaja Salman Rafique and Khwaja Imran Nazir hold the portfolios of specialised health, and primary & secondary healthcare departments in Punjab, respectively.

“In fact, this is the incompetence of the provincial health minister. If CM herself has to go to the field to assess the situation and take action, then the system will be in a bad situation. All provincial ministers must be fully empowered to take action,” one Abdul Rehman said on X.

As per some reports, Dr Masood had already tendered his resignation (which was not accepted) in protest against not getting funds for the hospital. In this backdrop, another X user, Asif Jabin, said that billions of rupees spent by the Maryam administration on advertisements to celebrate the completion of her one year in power could have been provided to such hospitals for the welfare of patients.

Using TikTok, Dr Mohsin Hasan said the doctors’ community should unanimously condemn the public humiliation of a senior medic at the hands of the CM.

“Dr Masood should have also defended himself and protested the CM’s attitude,” he said.

Defending the CM’s action against the MS, Punjab Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb said: “CM Maryam Nawaz conducted an unannounced visit to Mayo Hospital, where citizens voiced numerous grievances. Taking swift action, she immediately removed the MS, emphasising zero tolerance for incompetence.”

On Friday, the CM released Rs340 million to Mayo Hospital for medicines purchase.

“On the direction of the CM, Rs340m have been transferred to the hospital for the procurement of medicines. Permission has been granted to use the existing funds of pay and allowance of the vacant posts in the Mayo Hospital for the purchase of medicines. The Finance Department has issued an order to reallocate pay and allowance funds. Despite the availability of additional funds in the budget of Mayo Hospital, they were not utilised properly,” said a government statement.

Published in Dawn, March 8th, 2025