F.P. Report
LAHORE: Punjab health minister Khawaja Salman Rafique came in for a lot of flak from the Supreme Court on Saturday for pleading for more time and cooperation to improve healthcare facilities at public sector hospitals in the province.
Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar, who headed a bench of the apex court, observed that the courts extended every possible cooperation to [the executive]. Which is why he pays visits to health facilities, but “your people raise objections,” he told the health minister during hearing of a suo motu case related to lack of proper healthcare facilities in the provincial capital at the apex court’s Lahore registry.
The chief justice questioned Punjab Health Minister Salman Rafique’s performance saying no work has been done in the sector. He also asked Khawaja Salman if his job was to only look after transfer and postings of employees.
The CJP observed Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif should be called to show him the poor state of government hospitals.
Salman responded to Chief Justice Nisar’s reservations by saying that his department worked on the upgradation of hospitals. He said his department took Children Hospital Lahore from 500 to a 1,200-bed facility. He added they also made operational the health facilities in Arifwala tehsil of Pakpattan and Wazirabad city of Gujranwala.
However, the CJP remarked, no work was done in Punjab for the treatment of cancer patients. He observed the provincial government had only called in doctors from abroad to serve them. Taking notice of the cases related to the health sector in the Lahore registry, the CJP also sought details of employment of a vice chancellor for Nishtar Medical College, Multan.
The chief justice also expressed dissatisfaction over the performance of the provincial health secretary and asked him where had he been serving before being appointed as heath secretary.
The secretary told the judges that he was transferred from Quaid-e-Azam Solar Park (QASP) to the health department, to which Justice Nisar remarked the project was heading towards deficit and asked him how much loss it had to bear because of him.
Upon this, the secretary said the QASP project was proving to be of much benefit. “We know how much loss and profit it is making.”
The health secretary informed that Wazirabad and Arifwala heath facilities have been made operational.
Justice Nisar observed that the Wazirabad hospital project suffered delays because it was initiated by Pervez Elahi.
He asked the secretary, “Tell your political bosses to do something for welfare of the public.”
The CJP also remarked that locals should send their suggestions regarding hospitals to the authorities concerned within 15 days.
