LAHORE – Punjab government touts top-notch healthcare services at state-run hospitals, but a reported case at one of Lahore’s key medical institutions raised fresh questions after a patient was given three-year waiting time for surgery.
Journalist Muhammad Umair shares details of a patient who visited Services Hospital Lahore for a medical check-up and was given 2029 date for operation. The case has raised questions about the growing pressure on the province’s public healthcare system, where hospitals are struggling to cope with a sharp rise in patient numbers.
As per the shared slip, patient named Saleem Ud Din, visited Outpatient Department (OPD) of the hospital’s Urology wing. Upon examination, medical staff marked the OPD slip with a handwritten admission date scheduled for February 27, 2029.
The waiting period sparked serious concerns regarding severe backlogs, operating theater shortages, and the plight of elderly citizens seeking timely surgical interventions at major tertiary-care government hospitals.
A provincial health meeting was told last month that attendance at major tertiary-care hospitals had increased by 16 per cent. Outpatient visits recorded a much sharper rise of 21 per cent, while inpatient admissions increased by 11 per cent and emergency cases by 9 per cent. In total, more than 45.7 million patients were reportedly treated at major government hospitals, underlining the enormous pressure on the province’s public healthcare infrastructure. The growing demand is particularly visible in specialised services.
Lahore High Court was informed that around 2,500 patients were waiting for bypass surgery at the Punjab Institute of Cardiology. Reported waiting periods for such procedures ranged from eight months to one year, adding to concerns over delays in critical cardiac care. Punjab government has responded with a series of measures aimed at reducing the backlog.
