Medics to face action for ignoring patient

The Specialised Healthcare and Medical Education Department Punjab has recommended departmental action against the Medical Superintendent of Tehsil Headquarters Hospital Gujar Khan and other staff for being declared guilty of misconduct and dereliction of duty. The hospital is currently working under the District Health Authority (DHA).

The action has been recommended against the MS under the Punjab Employees Efficiency, Discipline, and Accountability (PEEDA) Act, while the action has also been recommended against the hospital's junior pharmacy technician, female pharmacist, in-charge nurse and pharmacy manager under departmental rules. A warning has also been issued to the female head nurse, the director of emergency and a doctor not to show any neglect in their duties in future. Earlier, departmental action was proposed against the said officials by the Khushab Chief Executive Officer under the PEEDA Act.

In a complaint filed by one Qamar Shehzad, the attendant of patient Sabir Hussain, it was stated that the patient needed life-saving drugs and an injection of heparin which was not available in the hospital. The hospital staff failed to provide the injection contrary to the rules. The complainant blamed MS Dr Sarmad Hussain Kiyani, director of emergency Dr Saad Ahmed, pharmacy in-charge Asma Kanwal, pharmacist Yusra Noor, charge nurse Atiya Khalid and dispenser Umar Ahmed in his application.

In the first inquiry, Principal Medical Officer and CEO Khushab Dr Muhammad Akbar accused all the staff, including the MS, of showing misconduct, incompetence and negligence and recommended action against them under the PEEDA Act.

On behalf of the Secretary Specialized Health and Medical Education, Rawalpindi DHA Chief Executive Dr Ijaz Khan Gulhoko as the Convener of the inquiry committee and DDHO Dr Safdar Malik and Consultant Anesthetist Kamran Zia Qureshi as members held the new inquiry. The MS and other staff were held responsible for the negligence. The inquiry team also issued warnings to head nurse Saima Khursheed, director of emergency Dr Saad Ahmed and Dr Sultan Mehmood.

It should be noted that Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz had removed Tehsil Headquarters Hospital Murree MS Dr Abdus Salam from the position on a number of public complaints. After the CM’s intervention, the DHA is now reviewing and redressing the grievances of patients admitted to tehsil headquarters hospitals, primary health centres and rural health centres across the district. In this regard, the already pending complaints of the patients have also been taken out and steps have been taken to resolve them.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 19^th, 2024.