GUJRAT: The Punjab government has suspended the medical superintendents of Aziz Bhatti Shaheed Teaching Hospital ABSTH (Gujrat) and District Headquarters (DHQ) Hospital of Hafizabad on charges of inefficiency, poor performance and criminal negligence regarding the provision of medicines.

According to an official notification issued by the Specialised Healthcare and Medical Education Department on Friday, Dr Ayaz Nasir, the MS of ABSTH, has been suspended with immediate effect and the additional charge of of the office is handed over to Principal of Nawaz Sharif Medical College (NSMC) Professor Dr Rehman Gulzar.

The notification said that a formal inquiry against the removed MS would also be conducted under the PEEDA ACT 2006 on the aforementioned allegations.

Official sources said that a senior official of the health department had earlier inspected the working at the ASBTHthrough a surprise visit and had submitted a detailed report to the Punjab government after which the medical superintendents of ABSTH and Hafizabad DHQ had been suspended.The Hafizabad DHQ MS Dr Rizwan Ali Tabish was suspended over complaints of nonprovision of free medicines to patients, negligence, poor service delivery, etc.

Official sources say the health secretary gave the Hafizabad DHQ`s additional charge to the district health authority (DHA) CEO Dr Farjad Butt.

They said the action was taken following public complaints that Dr Rizwan had failed to ensure the provision of free medicines to the patients visiting the DHQ, while cleanliness and service delivery at the facility were also very poor.

Meanwhile, Hafizabad Deputy Commissioner Abdul Razzaq says any negligence in ensuring the implementation of the directions of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz in the public sector health facilities would not be tolerated.