Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz on Friday ordered the arrest of two officers and suspended three medical doctors at Pakpattan’s District Headquarters (DHQ) Hospital, following the deaths of 20 infants.
An inside inquiry committee — fashioned to probe the deaths of solely 5 kids on June 19 — reported the deaths of 20 kids, elevating many critical questions. The findings confirmed that 15 of the 20 deceased have been neonates and new child infants, whereas all 20 deaths occurred between June 16 and June 22.
A 3-member exterior inquiry committee was fashioned to research the incident, significantly the reported oxygen failure, hyperlinks between the fatalities and systemic shortcomings and the hospital’s emergency response.
A press release issued at the moment mentioned that in a five-hour go to to the hospital, CM Maryam ordered the arrest of the chief govt officer and medical superintendent. She additionally suspended and launched inquiries in opposition to three pediatric medical doctors for alleged negligence.
Three laboratory technicians have been additionally arrested for referring sufferers to their privately run labs working outdoors hospital premises.
She directed Deputy Commissioner (DC) Maria Tariq to relinquish her cost and report back to the Companies and Normal Administration Division.
Upon arrival, CM Maryam was briefed on the preliminary findings of the 2 exterior inquiry committee experiences.
A consultant from the provincial well being division and Sahiwal Commissioner Asif Tufail introduced the ultimate report. Commissioner Tufail revealed that many toddler deaths have been linked to the referral of essential newborns from an unregistered non-public maternity hospital run by conventional midwives and quacks.
He confirmed that oxygen scarcity was not an element, citing the provision of 45 oxygen cylinders on the facility.
He additional mentioned that the hospital had did not comply with the protocols of the Punjab Healthcare Fee in operating as a serious facility within the district.
Subsequently, the well being division sealed the working theatres of 4 unauthorised non-public hospitals: Al-Farid Hospital, Physician Hospital, Shahid Hospital and Ali Hospital.
Through the briefing, PML-N MPA Choudhry Javed advocated for upgrading the native nursing faculty, developing a multipurpose corridor and growing the Western Loop Bypass in Pakpattan Metropolis. The chief minister assured that improvement funds can be allotted as wanted.
CM Maryam additionally ordered motion in opposition to the proprietor and the in-charge of the hospital’s parking contractor for overcharging Rs50-100 in extra parking charges.
A complete audit of all medical gear within the DHQ hospital was initiated. She mandated the implementation of emergency response methods, “Code Purple” and “Code Blue”, throughout all public hospitals in Punjab.
CM Maryam visited a number of wards, laboratories, and the medical retailer, participating instantly with workers, sufferers and technicians. Some residents complained that even primary medicines akin to aspirin have been unavailable within the emergency ward.
She expressed anger and questioned how sufferers have been pressured to buy medicines externally regardless of a provincial allocation of Rs100 billion for medicines.
The chief minister mentioned that important medication have been reportedly out there in hospital shops however weren’t reaching sufferers.
A letter by Senior Head Nurse Salma Tufail had just lately surfaced on-line through which she had warned the hospital medical superintendent of impending oxygen scarcity and the pressing want to keep up provide data.
The letter — written within the first week of June — was circulated on social media. It contradicted the statements of the Pakpattan district well being authority chief govt officer who had categorically acknowledged that there was no scarcity of oxygen within the pediatric ward in the course of the first three weeks of June.
DC Tariq had questioned the letter’s authenticity, stating, “She (Salma Tufail) submitted that oxygen was out there and her letter solely requested higher documentation.”
