Copyright pakobserver
LAHORE – The Board of Commissioners of the Punjab Healthcare Commission visited King Edward Medical University (KEMU) to engage in constructive dialogue on minimum service delivery standards (MSDS) compliance at hospitals affiliated with the University. The high-level delegation, led by Chairperson PHC Major Azam Suleman Khan (retd.), comprised Commissioners Prof Dr Mahmood Shaukat and Prof Dr Numan Tarif, Chief Executive Officer PHC Dr Muhammad Saqib Aziz and senior directors. They met KEMU’s leadership to discuss the regulatory status of Mayo Hospital, Lady Aitchison Hospital and Lady Willingdon Hospital. Azam Suleman Khan outlined the Board’s vision of transforming regulatory engagement from enforcement to facilitation. “The BoC has decided to facilitate healthcare institutions in achieving regulatory compliance while dispelling perceptions of coercive regulation,” he stated. The Chairperson acknowledged Mayo Hospital’s substantial workload and pledged full support, including training master trainers in implementing quality standards. CEO Mayo Hospital, Dean KEMU and professor of paediatrics Dr Haroon Hamid presented an overview of the institution’s extensive services, noting that the Mayo Hospital manages Punjab’s highest patient load. ‘We attend over 5,000 patients daily in outpatient departments, and approximately 3,500 in emergency services,” he said. He mentioned significant progress in regulatory compliance, stating that Mayo Hospital achieved 87% compliance during the September 2025 inspection – a testament to dedicated five-member hospital-level teams and three-member departmental teams working tirelessly to maintain standards. Chief Operating Officer Mayo Hospital, Dr Abdul Mudabbar, highlighted that glaring constraints, noting only 4,500 of 6,500 sanctioned positions were filled. “The Hospital receives referrals from across Punjab but rarely refers patients elsewhere, keeping it perpetually overburdened,” he explained. Per-bed-per-year budget allocation was identified as significantly lower than other teaching and tertiary care institutions. Medical Superintendents of Lady Aitchison Hospital and Lady Willingdon Hospital raised concerns about functional bed shortages due to extensive ongoing renovations affecting operational capacity. Faculty members – Dean Surgery and Allied Health Departments Prof Dr Ibrar Ashraf, Registrar KEMU Prof Dr Asghar Naqi and Head Pathology and Dean Basic Sciences Prof Faiza Bashir – gave valuable insights during discussions. Prof Dr Mahmood Shaukat emphasised achieving mutual understanding of challenges facing both the PHC and the institution, while complementing each other’s efforts. Prof Dr Numan Tarif suggested leveraging undergraduate and postgraduate trainees in clinical work to enhance medical and nursing practices. Dr Saqib Aziz reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to facilitating sustained compliance, stating, “This requires institutionalising regulatory requirements rather than treating them as isolated exercises.”
