A serious incident of endangering patients’ lives has been revealed at Lady Willingdon Hospital, where a video has surfaced showing a security guard administering an anesthesia injection to a patient. Following this, the Health Department took notice of the incident and suspended the responsible doctors, head nurse, and others.
Footage from Lady Willingdon Hospital shows a security guard administering spinal anesthesia to a patient, in which the guard can be seen injecting the patient.
After the footage surfaced, serious questions have been raised over allowing an untrained individual to perform such a sensitive medical procedure and how an unrelated person was given access to the operation theatre due to alleged negligence of the hospital administration.
According to medical experts, spinal anesthesia can only be administered by a trained doctor or anesthetist, but questions have been raised over the implementation of safety and professional standards in hospitals.
Subsequently, the Punjab Health Department took strict notice of the incident in which a security guard administered anesthesia to a patient at Lady Willingdon Hospital and suspended four senior consultants and one head nurse. Similarly, the contract with the relevant security company has also been terminated immediately due to negligence.
It was stated that the services of the officers and doctors were suspended under Section 6 of the PEEDA Act 2006 on the grounds of incompetence and negligence. This action was taken on administrative grounds due to a private security guard administering anesthesia to patients in the operation theatre.
According to the notification issued by the Punjab Health Department, a Grade 19 senior consultant anesthetist, a Grade 18 female senior registrar anesthesia, a senior woman medical officer, AMS admin, another senior woman medical officer, and a Grade 17 female head nurse have been suspended and directed to immediately relinquish their duties and report to the Specialized Healthcare and Medical Education Department.
Provincial Health Minister Khawaja Salman Rafique said that there is no room for violation of discipline in hospitals and that safe treatment of patients is the top priority.
Punjab Health Secretary Azmat Mahmood said that no compromise will be made on the treatment of patients in hospitals, and negligence in duties during service is unacceptable.
