Jail, DHQ hospitals to be linked

LAHORE:

The Punjab government has initiated reforms to improve healthcare services for inmates, under which jail hospitals will be linked with the relevant district or tehsil headquarters hospitals. Presiding over a meeting, Provincial Minister Khawaja Imran Nazir issued directives that the medical superintendent (MS) of the DHQ hospital concerned would also oversee administrative and clinical matters of the attached jail hospitals to ensure uniform standards of care.

The minister instructed officials that the attachment lists be shared with the home department at the earliest.

He stressed that the Standard Medicine List (SML) for jail hospitals must be need-based and directed the authorities to update it accordingly to avoid shortages and misuse.

Khawaja Imran said merit must be strictly observed in the referral system for prisoners requiring treatment outside jail premises.

He ordered officials to design a clear mechanism, including transportation guidelines and standard operating procedures (SOPs), to regulate referrals.

The meeting also reviewed proposals for introducing biometric attendance of doctors posted in jail hospitals and improving data sharing between the prisons and health departments.