LAHORE: The Punjab government has banned the use of mobile phones during duty hours for hospital staff below BPS-18 in all public hospitals across the province. The move aims to improve patient care and ensure smooth emergency services.
According to circulars issued on July 7 by the Specialised Healthcare and Medical Education Department, a pager system will now be used for emergency communication like Code Blue or Code Red alerts.
The ban applies to areas such as emergency wards, ICUs, NICUs, and operation theatres. However, senior officers like Medical Superintendents and Senior Registrars are exempt.
Authorities say mobile phone use was affecting hospital performance. Medical superintendents have been told to enforce the ban and submit compliance reports within three days.
The new rules also stress the importance of following SOPs, especially by nursing students. The instructions have been sent to all public medical universities, hospitals, and relevant departments.
