All the principals of different medical colleges have been directed to improve the managerial issues, maintain discipline and ensure the presence of doctors, nurses, cleanliness and functioning of biomedical equipment in their attached teaching hospitals within a month. The government, for the first time, has allocated Rs 24 billion for specialised healthcare and medical education and all the officials concerned have been asked to work hard to achieve the targets fixed by Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif.
This was stated by the Punjab Specialised Healthcare and Medical Education Department (SH and ME) Secretary Najam Ahmed Shah while addressing a meeting of all the principals of public sector medical colleges held under the chairmanship of the Advisor to the Chief Minister on Health Khawaja Salman Rafique at the Civil Secretariat on Sunday.
SH and ME Special Secretary Dr Sajid Mehmood Chohan, Additional. Secretary Dr Salman Shahid and Medical Education DS Dr Nasir Shakir were also present in the meeting. Najam Ahmed Shah said that government has also issued instructions to the divisional commissioners to pay surprise visits to the hospitals to check the performance of these institutions. He warned that zero tolerance policy will be adopted in the matters of hospitals’ working.
Najam Shah said: “As the head of the institution, it is the responsibility of the principal to monitor the administrative affairs of the attached teaching hospital and rectify the issues”. He directed that special attention should be paid to improve the working of the emergency department of the hospitals, cleanliness and hygiene should be maintained in the wards, toilets and other places, the presence of doctors, nurses in the wards should also be ensured. He directed that all the biomedical equipment must be in working condition. He further said that his office is ready to help out them. He observed that these institutions and designations have given respect and honour to all of us in the society and we should work hard for the betterment of the common man. He said that public service demands sacrifices and the officers should execute their duties with dedication and should consider it a full-time job.
Salman Rafique said that though the people attached to the health profession are doing a lot of work, but there is a need to perform our duties and administrative responsibilities on a fast track. He said that management issues should be resolved on a priority basis for improving working and performance of the teaching hospitals and this is not a part time job.
“We have to leave the traditional lethargic style and adopt the habit of hard work with professional zeal,” he concluded.