RAWALPINDI, Dec 5: Punjab Chief Minister Pervez Ilahi here on Thursday ordered an inquiry into the poor performance of the hospitals’ board of governors and their inability to stall deterioration in the conditions at the hospitals.

During his surprise visit to Rawalpindi General Hospital, he said the Punjab government would probe as to why the working conditions at the hospitals continued to be dismal despite installation of board of governors, who had been constituted to improve the situation at public hospitals.

He said its quite strange that the BoGs had failed to give the desired results. “The situation is quite disturbing,” he added.

He also ordered inquiry against the Rawalpindi General Hospital officials responsible for the non-functioning of the CT Scan machine for the past two months.

“Whosoever is responsible for the situation would be taken to task,” he said.

Complaints had been lodged by the patients that the hospital administration was deliberately keeping the machine out of order to benefit the private diagnostic centres. The chief minister, who was on his first visit to Rawalpindi, said he would carry out more surprise visits at the government hospitals, including those in the rural areas, to ensure that patients get better facilities as large amount is being spent by the government at these health care outlets.

Mr Ilahi also visited the surgical ward of the hospital.

When asked about the provision of medicines and other facilities, the patients complained to the chief minister about the treatment at the hospital.

The chief minister announced a financial assistance of Rs50,000 for a boy admitted to the casualty ward besides ordering free treatment for him at the hospital.

VISIT TO POLICE STATION: Expressing dissatisfaction over the performance of Rawalpindi police, the chief minister said there was a need to further improve law and order situation in Rawalpindi. He was particularly critical about the police performance relating to dacoities and car-lifting incidents.