Loralai commissioner Wali Muhammad Barech inspects Teaching Hospital facilities

LORALAI: Commissioner of Loralai Division Wali Muhammad Barech paid a detailed visit to Loralai Teaching Hospital. He reviewed in detail the medical facilities provided to patients, the attendance of doctors and medical staff, cleanliness, the availability of medicines and other administrative matters.

Medical Superintendent Dr Naqibullah Niazi, District Health Officer Dr Fahim Khan and Deputy Medical Superintendent Dr Zainullah Kakar accompanied him during the visit.

Inspection of hospital departments

Commissioner Wali Muhammad Barech inspected various wards, doctors’ OPD rooms, the laboratory, the operation theatre, the MRI and CT scan centre, the medicine centre, the control room set up in the hospital and the water bore, among other departments. He received detailed briefings from the officials concerned on the performance of each department, the facilities available, the problems faced by patients and the steps taken to resolve them.

The commissioner also met patients under treatment and their attendants. He obtained first-hand information about the medical facilities provided to them, the availability of medicines, the presence of doctors, and the standard of diagnosis and treatment. He also learnt from patients about the reforms being carried out in the hospital and the problems they face.

During his visit to the medicine centre, the commissioner obtained information about the medicines available in the hospital, the medicines provided to patients and the method of distributing them. He directed the officials concerned that there should be no hurdle in providing essential medicines to patients.

Orders on public health and attendance

Speaking on the occasion, Loralai Division Commissioner Wali Muhammad Barech said public health was among the government’s top priorities. He said no negligence would be tolerated in providing the public with quality, timely and dignified medical care.

Loralai Teaching Hospital is an important medical centre not only for Loralai district but for the whole of Loralai Division and the adjoining districts, he said. Patients come to it from far-flung areas for treatment.

He said that despite limited resources, the Teaching Hospital had taken notable steps to provide medical facilities to the public in various fields. However, he said, continuous monitoring, effective administrative measures and better use of available resources were needed to improve the hospital’s performance further.

Giving clear directions on the attendance of doctors and medical staff, the commissioner said the timely attendance of doctors and paramedical staff must be ensured at all costs. Patients should not have to complain about the unavailability of doctors or unnecessary waiting, he said.

He said doctors and medical staff should carry out their official duties in a spirit of public service and treat patients with compassion and courtesy. He added that the presence and performance of staff in the OPD, emergency, operation theatre, laboratory, diagnostic centres and other key departments should be monitored regularly so that patients could get timely diagnosis and treatment.

Commissioner Wali Muhammad Barech directed the hospital administration to improve the standard of cleanliness further, to ensure that necessary facilities were provided to patients and their attendants, and to keep the machinery and medical equipment in the hospital in working order so that people did not have to go to other cities for treatment.

He said that, to improve public health, the administration, the Health Department and the hospital administration would have to work together under an effective strategy. Providing better health facilities to the public is the government’s responsibility, and all available resources would be used for this purpose, he said.

The commissioner directed the hospital administration to make the system for the prompt redress of patients’ complaints, the attendance of doctors and staff, the availability of medicines and the provision of medical facilities more effective. He also directed that the reforms and improvements under way in the hospital be carried forward without a break.

Photo: Courtesy DGPR Balochistan