Poor equipment and hospital conditions put PIMS under senate scrutiny

The Senate Committee on Rules of Procedure and Privileges has raised serious concerns over patient care, cleanliness

Islamabad: The Senate Committee on Rules of Procedure and Privileges has raised serious concerns over patient care, cleanliness and the condition of medical facilities at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), directing an unannounced visit to the hospital to assess the situation.

The action followed a privilege motion moved by Senator Palwasha Muhammad Zai Khan against Dr Sherjeel Zaheer, Director and Chief Clinical Coordinator at PIMS, over alleged remarks made after the senator shared a social media post highlighting problems with medical equipment and facilities at the hospital.

Senator Palwasha said she had raised the issue as part of her public responsibilities after witnessing the condition of a patient who, according to her, could not receive proper medical assistance because the required equipment was not working. The incident led her to raise concerns about the quality of treatment available to patients at the public hospital.

During the committee meeting, members expressed concern over cleanliness, patient care and the hospital’s administrative affairs. They stressed that people visiting a public hospital must receive proper treatment and that poor and deserving patients, who often depend on government hospitals because they cannot afford expensive private healthcare, should not be left without necessary facilities.

Senators also questioned the state of services at the hospital despite increases in its budget and staff. They said that more resources and employees should result in better facilities and improved care for patients.

Senator Saadia Abbasi described the matter as important and called for an internal review of PIMS administration. She stressed the need to examine how the hospital was being managed and whether patients were receiving the services they needed.

The committee chairman warned that negligence in patient care could have serious consequences. He directed that an unannounced visit be conducted to check the hospital’s conditions and assess the concerns raised during the meeting.

He also advised the relevant authorities to read documents carefully before signing them and stressed that public services must be improved. The committee’s discussion focused on the need for better hospital management, working medical equipment and respectful, effective care for patients.

Following the discussion, the committee accepted the apology tendered by PIMS. However, the concerns raised about facilities, cleanliness and patient treatment underlined the need for further attention to the hospital’s performance.