LAHORE: Punjab Health Minister Khawaja Salman Rafique and heads of public medical institutes in Punjab are criticizing the renovation of public hospitals, calling it an open and shut case for the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) due to corruption and substandard work. They expressed their sentiments at a conference of vice-chancellors (VCs) and principals of government medical universities and colleges held recently in Lahore. Minister Rafique, the health secretary, medical superintendents of hospitals, and other senior officers were present.

For the programme, Rs25 billion was released by the previous caretaker government allegedly on the suggestion of Punjab Health Secretary Ali Jan, who has now submitted another request for the release of Rs16 billion. The revamp and renovation programme was launched for teaching hospitals, including Mayo Hospital, Services Hospital, Jinnah Hospital, Sir Ganga Ram, Lahore General, and Children’s Hospital. The Communication and Works Department was engaged to execute the program. Medics alleged that department engineers not only used substandard material but also renovated wards/parts of buildings that were recently prepared or constructed.

Since then, most of the diagnostic facilities, operating theaters, wards, and other sections of the hospitals have been non-functional due to incomplete renovation work. Mr Rafique endorsed the complaints of most VCs and principals regarding alleged corruption in the revamp program.

“I would raise a pertinent question of pilferages at a time when corruption has prevailed everywhere in hospitals,” Mr Rafiq said, adding that he would also recommend action against corrupt officers under the Peeda Act. A video clip of the conference surfaced later, showing the health minister talking about corruption and other serious issues.

He said the C&W Department engineers showed no interest in the hospital renovation work.

The minister said that he visited several government hospitals where several serious complaints of seepage and leakage in the foundations and walls of the health facilities surfaced. He asked teaching institutes’ heads to point out officers and their substandard work to hold them accountable. “Those responsible for these problems will face actions by NAB, the Anti-Corruption Establishment, and the Federal Investigation Agency,” Mr Rafique said.

Similarly, special health secretary Wajid Shah said he found substandard work at a teaching hospital. He said that the drainage system of the washrooms in the hospital was choked, and a nail was fixed in the wall to close and open the door.

Vice-Chancellor of King Edward Medical University Prof Mahmood Ayaz said that the pending liabilities of Mayo Hospital have reached Rs3.5 billion. He criticised the programme, stating that utilizing billions of rupees for renovating major teaching hospitals would not be wise if the ‘defaulter health facilities’ failed to provide basic health services to patients.

Published in Dawn, May 6th, 2024