PIMS incident a wake-up call, corruption network must be broken: Khawaja Asif

Addressing the opening ceremony of a medical facility for workers and their families in Sialkot, Khawaja Asif said the prime minister had also taken notice of what happened at PIMS. He said he hoped some results would emerge, but it was necessary to set the situation right.

The federal minister said that in a sector whose aim should be saving human lives, some elements had made filling their pockets and corruption their purpose. He said this was a cause for concern for governments, the public and the institutions concerned.

He said a nexus of corruption still existed in the Health sector and effective steps were needed to break it. Referring to Punjab, he said the provincial government had focused on Health over the past two to two and a half years and many areas had improved. However, he said, reforms were also needed in other parts of the country.

Khawaja Asif said he was standing in a hospital at the moment, which was why he was speaking about problems in the Health sector. But he said the PIMS matter was not limited to one institution. It was a cause for concern for governments, the public and all those who held powers and responsibilities.

He also questioned the system of oversight of health institutions. He said that in some places the regulatory bodies had included people who were themselves owners of medical colleges or hospitals. He asked how effective oversight could be possible if those doing the monitoring were tied to the interests of the Business concerned.

The federal minister said the registration and licensing of some hospitals had also been in question for several years. He said some big hospitals held licences, but making money was increasingly becoming the priority instead of providing healthcare.

Khawaja Asif said corruption was a cancer that had spread across the country and it was the duty of governments to act against it. He also praised the systematic steps against corruption in Punjab. He said information and figures should be collected first and then action should be taken against those responsible.

Speaking about medical facilities in Sialkot, Khawaja Asif said workers and their families needed a quality medical institution because Sialkot was known around the world for its industry and exports. He expressed the hope that the institution would become a centre of modern medical facilities in the coming days.

He said efforts were under way to extend Gujranwala’s cancer facility to Sialkot, and a unit would also be set up for the rehabilitation of drug addicts. He said citizens would see further progress in these facilities over the next six months.

Khawaja Asif said the provincial and federal governments were providing support and funds for these projects. Along with the expansion of the District Headquarters Hospital, a separate facility for heart treatment was also being set up.

He said various institutions were being built in Sialkot for the convenience of the public and development was continuing. However, he said, real improvement was not possible without ending corruption in the Health sector and establishing a transparent system.