Shahbaz Sharif visits to District Headquarters Hospital Sahiwal

Lahore : Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif paid a surprise visit to District Headquarters Hospital Sahiwal without any prior information and programme today. He went to different wards and inquired after the patients and asked about medical facilities being provided to them in the hospital. He showed strong indignation to the administration on setting up MS office away from the hospital.

Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister asked from hospital administration whether it wants that the voice of patients should not reach them and no patient could contact them for resolution of their problems, it is not correct in any way. He said that desired results cannot be achieved in health sector unless doctors display best human attitude.

The Chief Minister said he is not ready to accept that MS office has been shifted due to repair and construction. Issuing orders of shifting MS office immediately in the hospital, Shahbaz Sharif said that there is no justification regarding far away of MS office. He directed to complete repair and maintenance work of the hospital at the earliest.

The Chief Minister checked the attendance register of doctors and staff and expressed displeasure on not taking action against absentee doctors and staff. He directed Commissioner Sahiwal Division to present report within three days after scrutiny of attendance register and said that checking attendance of doctors and staff is the responsibility of administrative officers.

During checking of attendance register, the Chief Minister found that a specialist doctor was absent from the last 29 days, upon which, he showed aggravation and taking its strict notice ordered strict action as per law against absentee doctors and staff. If specialist and senior professors will not attend hospitals then how modern and quality treatment facilities will become available to the patients, he questioned. He said that what will be reply of absentee doctors to their conscience and ailing humanity while receiving salaries.

The Chief Minister issued orders to ensure attendance of doctors and staff in all government hospitals of the province and said that action be taken as per law against absentee doctors and staff as doctors are associated with a noble profession and saving lives is their duty. Absence of doctors and staff of the hospital will not be tolerated, he added. He said that doctors have to play a role of Maseha for ailing humanity and perform their duty with the spirit of public service.

Shahbaz Sharif took strict notice of receiving money from the patients and conducting CT scan from outside and warned hospital administration that he will not tolerate such complaints in future. He directed to immediately provide CT scan machine for the hospital. He said that receiving money from poor patients for CT scan is a crime. He said that Punjab government has decided to provide CT scan machines in district level hospitals and added that with the provision of these machines, CT scan facility will be available at local level.

The Chief Minister also took notice of receiving money from the attendants of the patients for parking and directed inquiry into the incident and further improving security of the hospital. Talking to administrative officers and doctors present in the hospital, Shehbaz Sharif said that provision of best services in health sector is responsibly of district and divisional authorities and they should discharge it at every cost.

He said that if officers supervise the hospital actively then perhaps he will not have to pay visit to the hospitals in this way. He directed divisional and district officers to include health sector in top priorities. He said such a system has been evolved by the government that information of every district hospital will reach him.

The Chief Minister inquired from the patients and their attendants about medical facilities in the hospital, upon which, they told that treatment situation has improved in the hospital and they are also receiving medicines.

During the visit of the hospital, the Chief Minister met patients and their attendants individually in different wards and asked about  treatment facilities.