CM orders inquiry into hospital OT blackout

LAHORE:

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has declared an unacceptable lapse an incident at Services Hospital where doctors were reportedly forced to perform surgery under mobile phone torchlight due to a power failure in an emergency operation theater.

Expressing indignation, she ordered the provincial secretary concerned to submit an inquiry report within 24 hours.

The chief minister vowed to implement a "zero-tolerance" policy against any administrative or medical negligence that compromises patient safety.

The chief minister rejected the hospital administration's preliminary excuse of a "breaker trip," stating that such technical glitches cannot justify the absence of a functional backup system in a high-stakes environment like an emergency OT.

She questioned the utility of billions of rupees in healthcare funding if basic infrastructure, such as generators and Automatic Transfer Switches (ATS), fails to activate during a crisis.

CM Maryam Nawaz ordered that the investigation should not merely target junior technical staff but also determine the accountability of the hospital management, asserting that those failing to maintain essential life-saving equipment have no right to hold their positions.