LAHORE – Relief for patients in Punjab as Lahore High Court (LHC) ordered to end traditional patient slip system (Parchi System )in all government hospitals within four weeks, directing authorities to introduce a modern patient registration system in its place.
Lahore High Court issued key directions to end unnecessary delays in providing healthcare services at government-run hospitals. It mentioned Patients should no longer be required to wait in lengthy queues at registration counters simply to obtain traditional paper slips before receiving treatment.
Patients requiring emergency medical assistance must receive treatment without prior registration being a mandatory condition. The requisite to get conventional patient slips should not become an obstacle to timely medical consultation or treatment.
Punjab Health Department has been directed to replace the existing procedure with an effective, technology-based patient registration and management system.
Relevant authorities must provide documentary evidence of the changes and submit comprehensive reports concerning the availability of essential healthcare facilities. Officials who fail to comply with the court’s directions without sufficient justification may face legal consequences.
The verdict do not mean that patient registration or medical recordkeeping will be eliminated as authorities got month time to come up with modern registration mechanism to facilitate patients and improve hospital management.
The matter has been pending before the Lahore High Court since 2020. The petition was filed by the Judicial Activism Panel (JAP) through its chairman, Advocate Azhar Siddique, seeking protection of fundamental rights under Articles 4 and 9 of the Constitution and the provision of essential medical facilities in government hospitals.
During the proceedings, the court expressed concern that despite the passage of six years and the issuance of multiple notices, the departments concerned had failed to submit the required implementation reports.
Special Secretary Health Nabeela Irfan appeared before the court on behalf of the provincial Secretary of Specialized Healthcare and Medical Education. She assured the court that the Punjab government would replace the existing patient slip system within four weeks. The court made this undertaking part of the judicial record and directed the authorities to ensure strict compliance.
Assistant Advocate General Barrister Raja Hashim Javed and Health Department lawyers Naseem Mushtaq and Raja Saleemullah Khan also appeared during the hearing.
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