Sweeper treats patients at Pattoki hospital amid staff shortage

A shocking incident at Tehsil Headquarters Hospital in Pattoki exposed alarming lapses in  Punjab's healthcare system after a video surfaced online showing a sweeper performing a medical procedure in the absence of emergency staff. 

A video circulated on social media, showing a sweeper stitching the wounds of a patient and providing him with medical aid.  A local resident told the media that due to the lack of competent staff the sweeper had to perform medical procedures daily.

The video sparked outrage among the people, who argued that substantial funds were being provided to the hospital, yet patients were still left without medicine, staff, and facilities.

They claimed that the administration was not using medical funds efficiently and that, despite several complaints, the issues remained unresolved.

Read: 500,000 Pakistanis die annually due to medical errors, experts claim

The residents of the area appealed to Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz for her intervention and the implementation of necessary measures at the facility.

The incident was reported following Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz's public snub of the medical superintendent of Mayo Hospital, which resulted in widespread criticism.

Critics declared the public humiliation of a senior doctor highly inappropriate.

Some suggested that the CM should not copy her uncle Shehbaz Sharif's style of firing officials on the spot. Instead, they proposed she task her two health ministers with improving the affairs of public hospitals in Punjab and take action against them if they fail to do so.