LAHORE: Commending the vice-chancellors, principals and medical superintendents for performing duties in the OPDs of all government hospitals, the provincial Health ministers Khawaja Salman Rafique and Khawaja Imran Nazir said that the condition of OPDs in government hospitals are now getting better.
Both the ministers chaired an important meeting regarding the performance of government hospitals during which a detailed review of the treatment of the patients was made. All the vice-chancellors, principals and MS gave a briefing in this regard.
Provincial Health Minister Khawaja Salman Rafique said that the sad incident of Sahiwal Medical College should not have been happened.
“We will not compromise on the honour of vice-chancellors, principals and medical superintendents. Patients coming to government hospitals should not face any difficulty. All the hospitals management has been instructed to impose absenteeism on staff who are not on duty,” he said.
He added that efforts have been made to improve the conditions of government hospitals during the last three months.
Provincial Health Minister Khawaja Imran Nazir said that if the doctors are serious about resolving their problems, they should end the protest first.
“The government is ready to hold talk with the protesting doctors but there will be no talk to anyone in the atmosphere of protest, as the rights of patients are the first priority,” he said.
Imran Nazir said that those who challenge the writ of the state will not be tolerated. He said that immediate extension is being given to all ad hoc doctors in the primary and secondary healthcare department. We appreciate the role played by senior doctors, professors in opening OPDs in all hospitals, he said. He added that they are not against doctors; the culture of strikes in government hospitals should be ended.
In the meeting, professors, vice-chancellors, medical superintendents gave their suggestions to make OPD more functional.
Secretary Health Punjab Ali Jan Khan said that the slip counter should not be closed in any government hospital. It may be added that on the call of the Young Doctors Association (YDA), the doctors are on strike since June 15, disrupting medical services across government hospitals. This has caused inconvenience to the patients approaching government hospitals.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024