Expired medicines are also being used at Lahore’s Children’s Hospital.
According to a report by the Chief Minister Punjab Special Monitoring Unit, expired medicines and injections were found in OPDs and wards. The expired medicines were neither destroyed nor stored in a safe manner. Expired medicines pose a direct threat to children’s lives.
The Chief Minister Punjab Special Monitoring Unit has ordered an audit of wards and pharmacies. The report also highlights shortcomings in children’s treatment, availability of medicines, cleanliness, staff attendance, and the security system.
According to the report, MRI tests cannot be conducted at the Children’s Hospital due to a faulty MRI machine. There are unusual delays in children’s surgeries, with children admitted to wards for several weeks. Doctors neither examined the patients nor scheduled surgeries. Staff members were found to be rude to the monitoring team and patients.
Several doctors, nurses, and other employees at the Children’s Hospital were found absent from duty. Patients are purchasing medicines from private medical stores, while laboratory tests for children are being conducted at private laboratories. Dirty beds, open garbage bins, used syringes, and unhygienic washrooms were found at the hospital. Expired fire fighting equipment was also found at the Children’s Hospital.
