Minister orders inquiry into Govt Mozang Hospital

Says the building is not designed with the actual purpose in mind

LAHORE: Punjab Specialised Healthcare and Medical Education Minister Khawaja Salman Rafique directed an inquiry into the newly-constructed emergency block of Government Mozang Hospital, Lahore. The minister said it was not designed with the purpose of the building in mind.

He stated this while paying a surprise visit to the hospital on Thursday. Officers of health department, Medical Superintendent Dr Akbar Ali and local workers of PML-N were also present on the occasion. Rafique visited the laboratory, gyneacology ward, medicines store, immunisation centre, paediatric ward and inspected the cleanliness of the washrooms.



While visiting the immunisation centre of the hospital, Rafique ordered that an IT system be developed with the assistance of PITB to prepare a database of children who do not visit for their doze of vaccination.

He added the system would be introduced at all the hospitals to ensure the complete immunisation of children. Rafique disclosed that by taking new initiatives and introducing IT solutions, immunisation coverage increased from 50% to 90% in the province.



The minister said Punjab was the only province which introduced rotavirus vaccine to protect children from diarrhoea. He added that the condition was a major cause of infant mortality.

He also visited the newly-constructed building of the emergency department. The building was yet to be inaugurated and Rafique was surprised to see woodwork on the walls instead of tiles. He observed that wood paneling would turn into a source of bacteria and virus, spreading infection in its wake.



He took note of the lack of washrooms and dressing rooms on the ground floor.

Rafique was annoyed to see a washroom inside the operation theater. He said this showed negligence in terms of architectural designing, adding the people who supervised the construction were responsible for this lapse. The minister ordered an inquiry into the matter.

Rafique ordered that a revised PC-I should be sent to the department concerned for the provision of a transformer and generator for the emergency department of the hospital. He expressed his satisfaction on overall performance. However, he directed the MS to improve cleanliness in different areas of the hospital.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 27^th, 2017.