Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz on Friday paid an emergency visit to the District Headquarters (DHQ) Hospital in Pakpattan after the tragic death of 20 children, allegedly due to medical negligence and mismanagement.
The shocking incident sparked public outrage, prompting the chief minister to conduct a surprise inspection of the hospital’s wards, laboratories, and emergency areas. She also visited the patients undergoing treatment in the wards and inquired after them one by one. During the visit, patients and their families poured out their grievances, complaining of negligence, indiscipline, shortage of services, and systemic corruption.
CM Maryam Nawaz took strict notice of the infants' deaths and immediately ordered the arrest of Health Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dr. Sohail Asghar and Medical Superintendent (MS) Dr Adnan Ghaffar. A case has been registered against both officials, while a new MS from Sahiwal has been appointed to take charge of the hospital. The CM also takes action over the attempts to cover up facts by the MS and other officials.
CM Maryam, visibly angered by the gravity of the complaints, condemned the collusion between hospital staff and private pharmacies, saying: “Despite the availability of medicines, they were being ordered from outside in collusion with the pharmacy. We are spending Rs100 billion on medicines — why are people still deprived?”
She also expressed anger over the air conditioners running in staff offices, but those in patients' wards were switched off, ordering the implementation of the Code Red and Code Blue systems in government hospitals. The CM spoke to the patients and their families sitting in the waiting room of the hospital and inquired about the supply of medicines and treatment.
Maryam also expressed anger over the lack of announcement for free medicines at the DHQ Hospital, saying that 90% of patients were complaining about ordering medicines from outside.
Negligence, corruption, inaction exposed
CM Maryam expressed her frustration over reports that critical hospital equipment remained packed and unused, and that doctors and consultants were failing to perform regular rounds or provide proper care.
“Do people come to hospitals to die?” she questioned emotionally, holding hospital management accountable for criminal negligence. “Allah will also question you for this cruelty.”
After a briefing on the probe into the infants' deaths, the inquiry committee's report revealed damning details:
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Incubators were available but not functional.
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Doctors failed to provide adequate rounds or care.
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Emergency protocols were not in place.
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Consultants showed indifference toward critical patients.
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Critical care staff lacked proper training.
Immediate actions ordered by CM
In response to the complaints and inquiry findings, CM Maryam Nawaz announced a series of immediate and structural reforms:
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Dismissal of three lab technicians found colluding with private labs; the lab was sealed.
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Arrest orders for the parking contractor and manager over overcharging patients’ families.
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Removal of Pakpattan’s deputy commissioner from his post.
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Immediate audit of all hospital machinery and equipment.
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Ban on mobile phone use by doctors and paramedics during duty.
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Introduction of a pager system to improve internal hospital communication.
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Shutting off air conditioning in staff offices and redirecting it to patient wards.
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Orders for resolution of all pending hospital inquiries within one week.
The CM directly addressed hospital staff and bureaucrats, saying: “Those who don’t perform their duty in hospitals are the real criminals of this nation. It’s not just weapons — negligence kills too.”
She urged healthcare professionals to learn to view patients as their own families: “Learn to see other people's children as your own. Serve with a heart. This is not just your job — it is your responsibility.”
Maryam Nawaz concluded her visit by assuring the public that no one responsible for the deaths of the children will be spared, and vowed that every hospital in Punjab would undergo strict scrutiny and reform to prevent such tragedies in the future.
