Punjab Health Ministers Khawaja Salman Rafique and Khawaja Imran Nazir emphasized strict enforcement of discipline in government hospitals, asserting a zero-tolerance policy towards negligence and inefficiency.
This declaration came during a meeting chaired by the ministers at the Department of Specialized Healthcare and Medical Education (SH&ME). Khawaja Salman Rafique, the Punjab Minister for SH&ME, emphasized that delay in patient treatment was unacceptable and that healthcare providers must prioritize patient care. He underscored that improving hospital facilities and patient care remained a top priority under the leadership of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif. He warned against unjustified strikes and mandated continuous operation of slip counters and uninterrupted services in all government hospitals. A deadline was set for striking doctors to resume duties by Monday, June 24, with directives for hospital in-charges to submit duty rosters by the following day.
Khawaja Imran Nazir, Punjab Minister for Primary and Secondary Healthcare, expressed sorrow over recent child fatalities in Khanewal and Sahiwal, urging heightened responsibility among healthcare staff. He called for the immediate restoration of outpatient services and the establishment of a robust mechanism by the health secretary. He condemned the culture of strikes and reaffirmed appointments based on merit, rejecting blackmail and coercion. The meeting saw comprehensive reviews of measures to ensure uninterrupted patient care, with detailed briefings from officials of all government hospitals.
