The Punjab government has announced that hospital security guards, ward boys, nurses, and pharmacy staff will be equipped with body cameras, as part of comprehensive reforms to enhance security and service delivery in public hospitals.
The decision was taken during a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, which reviewed the progress of health projects.
Officials agreed to restrict doctors and nurses from using mobile phones during duty hours to provide better patient care.
The chief minister also took serious notice of complaints against private security guards deployed in hospitals, calling for strict accountability measures.
Maryam Nawaz ordered that all government hospitals complete full steam cleaning by 9am daily to maintain hygiene standards.
She further directed authorities to prepare a new list of modern medicines for government hospitals and form a dedicated committee for the task.
Expressing concern over medicine shortages, she highlighted the government’s allocation of Rs80 billion for medicines, calling the unavailability of essential drugs “incomprehensible.”
Officials informed the meeting that Punjab hospitals may be allowed to procure modern Chinese-made medical equipment to upgrade healthcare facilities.
The chief minister also instructed the establishment of a foolproof mechanism to ensure uninterrupted medicine supplies.
The meeting approved the creation of a Medical Superintendent (MS) pool across Punjab, linking salary increases strictly to performance.
Community health inspectors will also be tasked with conducting hospital surveys.
To assess the impact of public welfare initiatives in the health sector, Maryam Nawaz ordered the establishment of a data analysis centre.
Officials told the meeting that over 2,500 doctors have secured jobs in Punjab in less than two years.
Additionally, 585,000 patients have been registered for home delivery of cardiac medicines, while 6,000 hepatitis and tuberculosis patients are receiving medicines at their doorsteps.
Reiterating her commitment to efficiency, the chief minister warned that public money and time would no longer be wasted and that negligent staff would face strict consequences.