Opp grills govt in PA over performance in health sector

LAHORE:Opposition on Monday grilled the PTI-led Punjab government in provincial assembly on its poor performance in health sector – one of the main election manifestoes of the government - in question-hour session pointing out the poor performance which resulting into depriving the people of basic health facilities.

The poor performance of the PTI-led Punjab government was highlighted with the details such as MRI machine in Jinnah Hospital was non-functional for over a year which deprived almost 18,250 patients of the facility in a year, no installation and repair of the out-of-order incinerators in Faisalabad hospitals for disposing of the medical waste risking the lives of the people. Further, the PTI’s commitment for South Punjab province and spending of Rs10 billion for the health sector of the South Punjab while projects announced in ongoing fiscal year are still stuck at PC-I level or planning and development level as the nine months of the fiscal year have passed. Hence, the allocated budget will lapse in ongoing fiscal year.

However, Punjab Assembly Speaker Ch Pervaiz Elahi many times bailed out Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid from the critical supplementary questions raised from the opposition benches. But, he was unable to cover the poor performance of the government on health sector. Finally, he managed the situation as allocated time for question-hour session ended and the Speaker concluded the question-hour on department specialised healthcare and medical education while only a couple of questions were discussed on the floor of the house against the total tabled 46 questions.

The most debated questions were raised by the MPAs Kanwal Pervaiz and Rabia Naseem Farooqi who pointed out that the MRI machine in Jinnah Hospital, Lahore, was not working since March 2019 when they submitted their question about non-functioning of it in the Punjab Assembly.

Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid admitted the fact that the MRI machine was non-functional since October 2019 and said it would take further couple of months to come in to operation. Justifying the non-working of the MRI machine, she said that helium gas had finished from the machine for which the government had tendered and after completing the procurement producer opened the Letter of Credit (L/C) for the import of it.

On her answer, Speaker questioned that the government was unable to manage the helium gas for the MRI machine for a year. He questioned that why necessary arrangements were not made four to five months before time. Responding to the Speaker, Dr Yasmin Rashid held the outgoing PML-N government responsible for it. She said that annual maintenance contracts were signed by the previous government and supplying firms did not honour. Objecting Dr Yasmin Rashid, former health minister Khawaja Salman Rafique questioned that what action was taken by the government against the supplying firms that did not honour the commitment. He questioned that will government initiate any action against them. Dr Yasmin Rashid said that the government would initiate action against them.

The minister said the MRI machine in Jinnah Hospital Lahore was installed in November 15, 2008 and was repaired 85 times under annual repair contract. She said since November 2018 to filing of the question 5,086 patients had gone through the MRI test while the government was considering purchasing of a new MRI machine for the hospital.

On another question raised by Rabia Naseem Farooqi about vacant positions of pediatric surgeons in Children’s Hospital Lahore, Dr Yasmin Rashid said that out of total 28 seats only nine surgeons were performing duties while the government would hire on the vacant positions four associate professors, six assistant professors and nine senior registrars through Punjab Public Service Commission (PPSC).

However, the minister deplored that despite publicising the health sector experts’ positions through Punjab Public Service Commission, the government was unable to hire the required number of professionals. She quoted that out of 250 anesthetists’ seats only 78 were filled through PPSC.

Commenting on the situation, the Speaker observed that the situation and performance of the PPSC was very poor and the government needs to pay attention on capacity-building and improvement in the PPSC. He observed that huge number of public sector seats was lying vacant but the PPSC did not have capacity to handle the situation.

Syed Usman Mehmood questioned that the PTI announced spending of Rs10 billion on the health sector of South Punjab while it allocated only Rs500 million out of Rs6.5 billion in ongoing fiscal year for construction of a teaching hospital in Rahim Yar Khan while not a single penny was spent even nine months had passed and these funds would be lapsed. He pointed out that instead of a new children’s hospital, the government has planned to renovate the old Shaikh Zayed Hospital to place their name plate on it.

Responding to the questions, Dr Yasmin Rashid said that the government would consider establishing of the children’s hospital in Rahim Yar Khan after completion of teaching hospital for which it earmarked Rs500 million in the ongoing fiscal year.

Later, after Maghrib prayers break, the Law Minister tabled the Punjab Medical Teaching Institutions (Reforms) Bill which was deferred after the opposition MPA Waris Kallu pointed out the incomplete quorum to pass the bill. Before, deferring and adjoining the House for Tuesday afternoon, the Speaker consulted with the law minister and health minister for a couple of minutes.