LAHORE: On the directives of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, the Punjab Finance Department has released funds amounting to Rs340 million for the procurement of medicines for Mayo Hospital Lahore.
The provincial finance department has transferred a total of Rs340 million into the hospital’s account to address the shortage of essential medicines in Lahore’s Mayo Hospital.
The development follows CM Maryam Nawaz’s surprise visit to Mayo Hospital on Thursday where she personally listened to the complaints and reservations of the patients and public regarding shortage of medicines.
The provincial government has also permitted the hospital to utilize existing pay and allowance funds from vacant positions for medicine procurement. The Finance Department has issued an official order for the reallocation of these funds.
According the department, despite having additional budgetary funds, Mayo Hospital had not been utilizing them effectively for medical supplies.
During her visit, Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz sharply criticized the hospital administration over its failure to ensure basic medical services. In response to the situation, a high-level meeting was convened at the Punjab Health Department to address the crisis.
The meeting was attended by Punjab Health Minister, the Health Secretary, and the Vice-Chancellor of King Edward Medical University.
Following discussions, the suspension of Chief Executive Officer Dr Ahmed Nauman was recommended, with further action expected against other hospital officials for negligence.
Despite these measures, the persistent shortage of medicines and delays in essential healthcare services continue to raise concerns about the effectiveness of administrative interventions and the overall state of public healthcare in Punjab.
Patients continue to suffer due to the unavailability of essential medicines and delayed diagnostic tests, highlighting the ongoing crisis in the province’s largest public healthcare facility.
Frustration among patients and their attendants has been growing as they are forced to purchase medicines from private pharmacies, with many essential drugs still unavailable at the hospital.
Additionally, critical diagnostic services, including X-rays and ultrasounds, remain inaccessible in a timely manner, with appointments scheduled days later. This delay has put patients, especially those in serious condition, at significant risk.
