LAHORE – Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar on Thursday took a suo motu notice of the hospitals’ conditions of Lahore and summoned medical superintendents of 19 hospitals in the city with a detailed report on facilities at their respective hospitals.
The superintendents were ordered to appear before the SC’s Lahore registry on Saturday (despite an off day) with reports containing details of emergency equipment, CT Scan, MRI and ambulances etc.
A notice issued by the SC’s deputy registrar said the report should also explain the availability of life-saving drugs at the hospitals, and the medicines that are being provided to the patients free of cost and those that have to be purchased from outside.
The CJP further directed that the report should contain details regarding availability of qualified doctors and nursing staff.
“There has been much hue and cry from the public complaining [about] the non-availability of even life-saving drugs and non-functional emergency equipment,” the document read.
Earlier on Wednesday, Justice Nisar while outlining the agenda for the year 2018 had said that the court would be focusing on human rights issues, particularly those relating to the people’s right to quality education and healthcare.
The SC is already hearing cases regarding the provision of clean water in Sindh and Punjab as well as one regarding high fees in Punjab’s medical colleges.
In December, the CJP made a rare visit to Mayo hospital Lahore and inquired about the quality of services provided to the patients.
The visit was welcomed by Chief Minister Punjab Shhebaz Sharif, much to the surprise of political commentators who thought that the visit was unwarranted and ‘beyond the professional domain of the top judge’.
