LAHORE: The Punjab Healthcare Commission (PHC) has banned practice of medics of government hospitals at private health facilities during ‘official hours’.

The action was initiated on the complaints that some doctors employed in state-run hospitals were visiting the private health facilities during official hours to provide healthcare services to the patients in sheer violation of the rules/regulations.

A spokesperson for the PHC said on Friday that the commission had directed all private healthcare establishments (HCEs) not to allow the provision of services by the consultants/specialists employed in the government service during their official duty hours in public sector institutions.

In a directive issued under Section 4(2) (O) of the PHC Act 2010, he said, the healthcare service providers of all private healthcare establishments had been directed to ensure that no consultant or specialist, employed by the public sector institutions, was working on their premises during the official working hours.

“In order to ensure compliance of the aforesaid direction, all private HCEs in Punjab shall be inspected by the authorised officers of the PHC from time to time,” informs the directive.

Furthermore, the administrations of private HCEs have also been warned that non-compliance of the direction would entail legal consequences, including fines and closures of services.

Published in Dawn, December 24th, 2022