Continuing its inspections, the Punjab government's Special Monitoring Unit (SMU) has uncovered further serious shortcomings at Rawalpindi Teaching Hospital (RTH), to the detriment of patients.
The report cited mismanagement, inadequate facilities, and alleged financial improprieties behind the poor state of affairs of the hospital.
The Unit had earlier conducted similar inspections at Benazir Bhutto General Hospital (BBH) and Holy Family Hospital (HFH), detecting mismanagement, misconduct, and corruption.
A 55-page inspection report has been submitted to the Punjab Chief Minister, outlining the RTH's overall decline and the inhumane treatment of patients.
In line with the findings at the other two hospitals, RTH has demonstrated a consistent record of poor governance, lack of basic facilities for patients, indiscipline, unhygienic conditions, shortage of medicines, and the persistent suffering of those seeking treatment.
The report revealed that patients are routinely charged unlawful fees, surgical procedures are subjected to unnecessary delays, and an entry slip of Rs50 is demanded for admission to the labour room.
Patients are compelled to undergo diagnostic tests at external laboratories at inflated costs, while acute shortages of medicines oblige attendants to purchase drugs privately.
The SMU also reported that expired medicines were found in the hospital pharmacy, sanitation arrangements were almost non-existent, and serious flaws were identified in record management. Many doctors and paramedical staff were found either absent or leaving duty prematurely.
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