Despite the highly publicized visits and inspections conducted by Mohsin Naqvi, the current Chief Minister of Punjab, the Punjab Institute of Cardiology remains a testament to ineffectiveness. Patients languish for hours awaiting angiographies, and the scene is one of doctors swamped with tasks, seemingly making the Chief Minister’s efforts nothing more than a hollow spectacle. This discrepancy paints a grim picture indeed, as the reality of government hospitals in Punjab clashes with the rosy promises made to the populace. The optimism spurred by TV coverage of the caretaker Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi personally supervising hospitals now feels misplaced as the actual improvements in public service delivery remain elusive.
Fifteen days ago, Abdul Majeed faced severe cardiac issues and was admitted to the Cardio Institute. Unfortunately, upon arrival, he did not receive immediate medical attention. Instead, he was provided a chair while waiting and eventually, after some effort, a bed was secured for him in an inadequately lit and unsanitary room. Due to these unsatisfactory conditions, he decided to discharge himself and sought medical care in Islamabad.
On 14 January, Sunday, another patient, Faisal Siddiqi, aged 48, was brought to the hospital and complained of chest ache. He was turned back because no angiography could be performed despite the lapse of 16 hours, and only once a doctor visited. Subsequently, he had to consider moving to another hospital for angiography.
It appears that this is not an isolated issue, but rather one that affects multiple hospitals. Medical professionals, particularly those at the Institute of Cardiology who care for patients with severe health issues, are required to take immediate action in providing urgent medical care and assistance to those arriving in need. When considering that such dire circumstances are present at the Institute of Cardiology, it is reasonable to infer that the conditions might be just as critical, if not worse, at other healthcare institutions. This also raises questions regarding the motives behind Chief Minister Punjab Mr. Naqvi’s recent actions. There is a concern that his activities may be more focused on garnering media attention, aiming for headlines and front-page coverage, than on making substantial improvements to the healthcare system, from which he might anticipate benefiting in the future.
Regrettably, it appears that what was initially perceived as a significant initiative was in fact a mere publicity stunt, serving to obscure the ongoing challenges and less-than-ideal procedures prevalent in Punjab’s government hospitals.