Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has taken serious notice of the reported non-availability or non-functioning of CT coronary angiography facilities at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) and constituted an inquiry committee to determine the facts and fix responsibility.
The committee has been directed to examine why the important diagnostic facility was not available or operational at the major public-sector hospital and what difficulties patients faced as a result.
Was the Facility Technically Available Since 2022?
A key part of the inquiry will be to determine whether PIMS had the technical capability to conduct CT coronary angiography since 2022.
If the capability existed, the committee will examine whether the required equipment, software and trained human resources were available and why the facility was not being effectively utilised.
The committee will also examine records of all CT coronary angiography procedures conducted at PIMS since 2022, including their dates, numbers and nature.
Why Were Patients Referred to Private Centres?
The inquiry will investigate whether patients from the PIMS Cardiology Department were routinely referred to private medical facilities for CT coronary angiography.
The committee will determine whether any particular private facility was given preference and whether a formal referral mechanism existed.
It will also examine the amount of public money spent on private medical facilities if patients were being referred outside PIMS despite the availability of the required facility at the public hospital.
Coordination Between Cardiology and Radiology Under Review
The committee will also examine the referral mechanism and coordination between the Cardiology and Radiology departments at PIMS.
Investigators will determine whether a lack of coordination, administrative hurdles, mismanagement or misunderstanding between the two departments contributed to patients being deprived of the diagnostic service.
The committee will further assess the impact of the situation on public interest and identify the officers or offices responsible, if any negligence or administrative failure is established.
Who Is on the Inquiry Committee?
The committee will be headed by the Secretary Establishment Division. The Secretary National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination Division and Brigadier Dr Jahanzeb Ali of AFIC are among its members.
Other members include Dr Nasratullah Chaudhry, Professor Dr Nadeem Hayat Malik, Brigadier (Retd) Dr Azmat Hayat of PIMS, and AFIC CT angiography technician Umar Farooq.
The committee has also been authorised to include additional members if required.
The Prime Minister has directed the committee to examine all relevant records, documents and evidence and clearly establish responsibility along with the facts of the case.
The committee will submit its findings to the Prime Minister, after which action against those found responsible will be considered in accordance with the law and applicable rules.
