Medicine Crisis at Mayo Hospital Worsens Despite CM Maryam Nawaz’s Intervention

The ongoing medicine shortage at Mayo Hospital remains unresolved despite Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif’s recent visit and the suspension of its Medical Superintendent (MS) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Patients continue to struggle, forced to buy medicines from private pharmacies, while essential diagnostic tests are delayed.

According to sources, Mayo Hospital has unpaid dues of Rs. 3 billion to pharmaceutical companies, which have suspended supplies until the payments are cleared. A pharmaceutical company representative blamed bureaucratic inefficiencies for the crisis, stating, “The real culprits are those who failed to clear hospital dues on time.”

CM Maryam Nawaz expressed her anger at the situation and held a high-level meeting at the Punjab Health Department. The meeting, attended by the Punjab Health Minister, Health Secretary, and Vice-Chancellor of King Edward Medical University, resulted in further suspensions, including the Chief Pharmacist Javed Iqbal. The Punjab government has handed over his responsibilities to Secretary of Pharmacy Council Zaka-ur-Rehman.

The Punjab Health Minister emphasized that inefficiency would no longer be tolerated, warning all public hospitals in the province that inspections will be conducted soon.

Despite these actions, the situation at Mayo Hospital remains critical, with patients suffering due to the unavailability of life-saving medicines.