SC seeks report on govt hospital equipment

Supreme Court sought a comprehensive report from regarding out-of-order equipment and machines

ISLAMABAD: The overall distressing and poor condition of public hospitals has once again come to the attention of the Supreme Court, which sought a comprehensive report from the federal and provincial governments regarding out-of-order equipment and machines.

The two-justice bench, headed by Justice Ejaz Afzal, hearing suo motu notice regarding alleged corruption in the Federal Government Services Hospital, popularly known as Polyclinic, noted that CT scans, x-ray and ultrasound machines are out of order, and because of this a poor ailing person has been forced to spend thousands of rupees on his treatment in private hospitals.

Justice Ejaz observed that all equipment and machines are out of order or made inoperative so that doctors, who work in government hospitals and also running private clinics, may mint money. He said there are pharmacies in every government hospitals but poor patients do not get medicines even for cough and fever.

“Besides judges we are also citizens of this country; therefore, how can we remain oblivious or close our eyes on the situation?” he asked.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 29^th, 2016.