Public health: Sharif finds teaching hospital poorly equipped

Warns officials concerned to ensure provision of essential medicines

LAHORE: Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif on Friday visited a teaching hospital and a high school in Shahdara area without informing the staff concerned.

He found the hospital poorly equipped and lacking in essential medicines.

Expressing his dissatisfaction at the state of affairs, Sharif warned the authorities concerned to fix the shortcomings or be ready to face strict action.

At the Government Teaching Hospital Shahdara, the chief minister reviewed arrangement at various wards and sought comments from patients and their relatives about the facilities being provided to them.

On the complaint of an attendant who identified herself as Sana, Sharif walked to the hospital pharmacy and directed the staff to ensure provision of all essential medicines.

Speaking on the occasion, the chief minister said that billions of rupees had been allocated for provision of free medicines at public across the province. It should be ensured that the benefits were passed on the people.

Finding the cleanliness at an operation theatre unsatisfactory, the chief minister reprimanded the officials concerned and asked them to ensure proper hygiene at the facility. He said immediate steps should be taken to fix problems at operation theatres and sterilisation rooms.

On finding no patients at the Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) Ward, Sharif walked up to the administration concerned and inquired them about the matter.

The administration could not come up with a satisfactory response.

Sharif also reprimanded the hospital’s medical superintendent for his late arrival and the missing facilities at the hospital.

At the Government High School, Karbath, Sharif inspected classrooms, a science laboratory and an IT laboratory. On finding that computers installed at the IT laboratory needed repairs, he directed the officials concerned to ensure that repair work was carried out without any delay.

Finding some students marking papers, Sharif expressed dismay and said that students should be allowed to focus their energies on learning. He said teachers should not delegate their jobs to the students.

Directing officials concerned to hygiene at the facility, he said the toilets needed immediate cleaning.

Sharif also spoke to the students and asked them questions from their syllabus.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 26^th, 2016.