The Punjab Government has taken notice of private practice of lady doctors, Lady Health Workers (LHWs) and lady health visitors (LHVs) of public sector hospitals and asked the authorities concerned to minutely monitor their working and hold accountable to those who are promoting private clinics under the cover of official position.
Sources in the Health Department told Business Recorder that the provincial government has taken this notice over the low rate of deliveries in the government health facilities despite the best infrastructure, trained staff and presence of hundreds of Lady Health Workers in the districts.
Secretary Health Punjab Mohammad Jehanzeb Khan chaired a meeting here on Thursday and expressed his grave concern over the low rate of deliveries in the government health facilities. He directed that the performance of Lady Doctors, Lady Health Workers (LHWs) and Lady Health Visitors (LHVs) should be monitored minutely and the staff involved in promoting private clinics must be taken to task. He warned that no leniency would be tolerated for those who are getting salaries from government but promoting the business of private hospitals.
While presiding over a meeting to review the performance of hospitals and other health facilities of district Nankana Sahib, health secretary has asked Medical Superintendents of government to spend most of their office time, visiting different departments of their hospitals and to enquire health of the patients. The provision of best treatment facilities to the patients is the prime responsibility of hospital's administration, he added.
Addl. Secretary (Estb) Dawood Khan Bareach, Additional Secretary (Dev) Usman Muazzam, Addl. Secretary Special Initiatives, Asfand Yar Kakar, Addl. Secretary (Tech) Dr Mushtaq Ahmad, DG Health Punjab, Dr Muhammad Aslam Chaudhry, Deputy Secretary Saleha Saeed, Provincial Co-ordinator FP & PH, Dr Akhtar Rashid Malik, Provincial Co-ordinator MNCH Programme Dr Sabeha Khursheed, EDO Health Nankana and other officers attended the meeting.
Secretary Health said that every EDO (H) would submit a certificate to the department by 21st August regarding the assurance of punctuality and presence of the doctors and other allied staff in the health facilities. He said that after the fixed date special teams will be sent to check the attendance of the staff and if any irregularity found, the concerned EDO Health would also be held responsible for that.
The meeting was informed that construction work of THQ Hospital Shah Kot is in progress and it would cost more than Rs 165 million and so far, more than Rs 60 million have been spent on this project. Moreover, the construction of THQ Hospital Sangla Hill is also in the final phase and estimate cost of this project is Rs 148.069 million and so far, Rs 65 million have been spent on it. The buildings of both the hospitals are near to complete.