This is apropos of news wherein Punjab Secretary Health transferred two Consultants of THQ hospital Gujjar Khan Rawalpindi district on the complaint of Executive District Officer Health Rawalpindi for indulging in private practice during office hours (Aug 10). We must appreciate the courage and patient friendly attitude of the EDO Health Rawalpindi for highlighting the malpractice of fellow doctors without any compromise. This action is an example for other health managers in the province who keep on trying to conceal the malpractices of other fellow doctors and staff resulting in bad governance of the health institutions.
Definitely, it is not a solitary incident in the province rather one reported in the press. There must be other bad sheep in the medical profession indulging in other types of corruption like admission of patient through private consultation and frequent postponements of surgeries just to goad them to come into their private clinics.
The only solution of the problem is that all the health managers and medical superintendents of hospitals in public sector should be non-doctors so that they ensure accountability in the health institutions across the board. There must be standard operating procedures for the working in the health institutions and everybody should know that he has to follow certain procedure like that followed in Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital Lahore where there is no difference between paying patient or non-affording patient and there is well-established system in place.
FAROOQ BASHIR BUTT
Lahore