PUBLIC health facilities have been plagued by scandal for too long. Recently, Lahore’s Lady Willingdon Hospital threw up a new horror. A video of female doctors and nurses performing C-section surgeries on two patients in the operation theatre and then celebrating the speedy completion of the procedures has gone viral on social media. The clip has sparked widespread outrage. The Punjab government took swift action — the medical superintendent, gynaecology department head, five resident doctors, two nurses and a hospital officer were suspended as was the training of four medics. The conduct was declared “a serious breach of medical ethics” and “serious negligence in duties” by the provincial health department. These actions were necessary. But frequent violations of medical SOPs prove that without reforms, the health system will stay locked in a structural crisis.

Lack of caution and responsibility must be investigated under the Punjab Employees Efficiency, Discipline and Accountability Act, 2006, to address supervision and protocol discrepancies. The Pakistan Medical and Dental Council chief has said that the incident is “unacceptable and will be dealt with strictly under the relevant regulatory framework”. According to the Council, recording without permission from patients, particularly “in sensitive clinical environments”, is a grave infringement of professional principles. More importantly, it violates a patient’s rights, dignity and “confidentiality standards”. Citizens cannot become victims of frivolous behaviour in such private spaces. Permanent solutions are needed — ethical practices, transparency and accountability. The burden is on the government to implement regulatory processes. In a welcome move, Pims in Islamabad has prohibited videography and photography within its premises. The measure must apply to the rest of the country too. While multiple woes assail our health units, lack of public trust is perhaps one of the most damaging. Acceptance of such abuses encourages complacency. Patients’ privacy and privileges must be protected.

Published in Dawn, April 2nd, 2026