Better healthcare

Shahbaz Sharif recently ordered immediate steps to improve existing services at the Punjab healthcare delivery system, notably those at the Basic Healthcare Units. To achieve this, he suggested tougher monitoring of the facilities available at them, provision of medicines and biometric checks to ensure staff presence. Numerous reports have in the past described the conditions of BHUs, with no doctor and lack of even the most essential medical supplies.
The state of government-run hospitals is hardly better. There have been numerous cases of gross negligence and disregard for patients at these facilities. The task the chief minister has set for his team, warning them of punishment if these are not delivered, is a hard one. But it would certainly greatly improve the quality of services available to people if even a small degree of improvement could be brought about in the healthcare structure. The fact that this is being attempted, in partnership with foreign organisations, is a good omen. But we need to move further from here and see to what extent it is possible to actually put the suggested measures in place. The basic healthcare facilities set up to provide services to people have failed to operate as they should. If this situation can be amended, it would be a service hailed by the people of Pakistan.
Maryam Hayat
Lahore