LAHORE: On the instructions of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb on Saturday paid surprise visits to hospitals in disguise, assessing healthcare facilities and patient care.
The minister paid visits to Jinnah Hospital and Lahore Children’s Hospital, moving through various counters as an ordinary citizen to evaluate services firsthand.
During the inspection, she examined hospital wards, assessed cleanliness, and reviewed the availability of doctors and medical staff.
Aurangzeb also interacted with patients’ attendants to inquire about the provision of free medicines and the quality of treatment.
The visit came days after Punjab CM paid surprise visits to a field hospital in Harbanspura as well as Jinnah Hospital to take stock of available medical facilities.
During Jinnah Hospital’s visit, she ordered the suspension of the Medical Superintendent (MS) of the hospital over complaints of mismanagement.
While visiting the field hospital in Harbanspura, she checked the availability and quality of medicines, interacted with patients and inquired about the facilities available in the field hospital.
The chief minister directed that the supply of medicines at Punjab’s government hospitals and immediate payment of government hospitals’ dues must be ensured. She further directed that immediate steps must be taken for the provision of free medicines to government hospitals.
She also chaired a special meeting to review the administrative affairs of Mayo Hospital. She instructed that the list of medicines should be displayed at every government hospital along with the installation of electronic boards for the list of medicines.
The chief minister also advised for activating and highlighting “Maryam Nawaz Complaint Counters” in all the government hospitals for the convenience of patients, besides providing mist fans in the open waiting areas.
On the directive of CM Maryam, feedback will be taken by calling patients. She instructed that chairs and benches should be provided in the waiting rooms. She also directed the relevant stakeholders to visit the hospitals on a daily basis and prepare a checklist report. “More than one organisation will prepare a checklist to know the actual situation of hospitals. The checklist will include doctors, staff attendance, free medicines, lab tests, biomedical equipment.”
The chief minister also directed that the monitoring of waiting lists for operations and tests in the public hospitals must be ensured. “Availability of parking facility, cafeteria and wheelchairs will also be checked on a daily basis.”