Infants death in Sahiwal: Maryam orders action against hospital authorities

LAHORE: “I share the grief of the parents of children who died in the hospital fire, I have come to express my condolences with the bereaved families,” said Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz after reaching the Sahiwal Teaching Hospital on Friday.

She expressed anger at the MS, the AMS and the admin officer of the hospital, and directed immediate departmental action against them. She directed awarding exemplary punishments to the real perpetrators of the crime after conducting a thorough inquiry into the incident.

She was told that a girl’s mother was admitted to the PIC due to a heart attack after hearing about the tragedy. A girl, Aafia’s father Muhammad Ali said: “The state is like a mother, justice is expected.”

He complained to Maryam that after the tragedy, police baton-charged people and a guard pushed his old mother. Maryam got angry over the behaviour of hospital guards towards patients and their attendants. She directed the DPO Sahiwal to conduct an inquiry into complaints of taking money by security guards from patients’ attendants. She also directed security audit of all hospitals in the province.

Amir Muawiya, son of Asghar Ali; Asiya, daughter of Muhammad Waseem; Bibi Luf Areeba, daughter of Ashfaq Abbas; Bibi Ghulam Abbas, daughter of Ghulam Abbas; Abdul Ghani, son of Amir Shahzad; Bibi Javed Iqbal, daughter of Javed Iqbal; Muhammad Nadeem, son of Shabbir Khan; Bibi Nasir Ali, daughter of Nasir Ali; Muhammad Ali, son of Muhammad Riaz; Bibi Soraya, daughter of Ali Ehsan; and Sadia, daughter of Bahadur Ali, were among the victims.

Maryam also visited the OPD, Child Emergency and other wards of the hospital, and interacted with patients and their relatives.

Chief Secretary Zahid Akhtar Zaman, Additional IG Zulfikar Hameed, Commissioner Sahiwal Division Shoaib Iqbal Syed, RPO Mahboob Rasheed, Deputy Commissioner Saima Ali and DPO Faisal Shehzad were present.

Maryam also met members of the Punjab Assembly from different districts to have first-hand knowledge of public issues and development needs in their constituencies. She told the visiting MPAs: “Upgradation of primary health centres across Punjab is in final stages. I am monitoring health affairs day in and day out. We are expanding the scope of projects like Field Hospitals and Clinics on Wheels.”

The MPAs appreciated the projects and paid tribute to Maryam for different public welfare projects in the first 100 days of her government. They acknowledged: “People are getting relief at their doorsteps due to Field Hospitals and Clinics on Wheels.”

Saud Majeed, Khalid Mahmood and Adnan Afzal were among those who met the CM. Special Assistant Zeeshan Malik was also present.

in her message on World Blood Donation Day, the CM said the day is marked to thank those who donate their precious blood to save the lives of others.