Health department playing with the lives of patients, says SC acting CJ

Supreme Court (SC) Acting Chief Justice Saqib Nisar has remarked that health department is playing with lives of the patients.

He observed, “All is not well in the health department. Hospitals are in a miserable condition in Punjab. Health department is playing with the lives of the patients. Why the case of embezzlement in the purchase of gas cylinders not handed over to NAB?”

He gave these remarks while presiding over a two-member bench of SC during the course of hearing of a suo motu notice case on medical facilities in the government hospitals on Friday.

At the inception of hearing of the case, comparative review report in respect of three hospitals was presented in the court by Pakistan Medical Association (PMA).

It was disclosed in the report that gas cylinder costing Rs 3,000 to 6,000 is being purchased by Polyclinic Hospital management at the cost of Rs 22,000.

The court expressed displeasure over the purchase of cylinder at a higher price. The court reprimanded Polyclinic Executive Director Dr Iftikhar Naro and summoned the heads of all the four federal hospitals.

The acting CJ remarked, “The government hospitals are in a miserable condition in Punjab. Lab kits and stitching equipment is not available in the hospitals there. The government hospitals also lack the life-saving drugs.”

The court while summoning the report on prices of gas cylinder purchased by private hospitals adjourned the hearing of the case till August 18.