LAHORE - The Punjab Healthcare Commission has so far suspended operation services of 85 theatres of 18 public sector and private hospitals for poor conditions and non-implementation of MSDS.

Closure of theatres in such large numbers has put a question mark on working of healthcare establishments, especially those in the public sector. The prevailing scenario suggested that those coming for surgical procedures were at huge risk of getting more diseases from contaminated theatres.

The PHC action has not significantly affected service delivery at teaching hospitals due to availability of dozens of operation theatres. Closure of some theatres has caused the administration to divert load to those in working conditions. Weeklong campaign has affected working and resultantly businesses of those in the private sector.

PHC spokesperson said the drive was aimed at implementing Minimum Service Delivery Standards (MSDS) and relevant provisions of PHC Act. Healthcare establishments, he said, have been asked to prepare and regularly update OT surveillance reports. Most of the institutions have started fumigation and other measures to make theatres infection free. These institutions, he said, would be allowed to use theatres after submitting OT surveillance reports.

PHC has closed 17 operation theatres of the Mayo Hospital, 11 of the Shalimar Hospital, 10 of the Ittefaq Hospital, five each of the Lahore General Hospital, Avecina Hospital and Kishwar Fazal Teaching Hospital Faizpur Interchange, four each of the Jinnah Hospital, Government Teaching Hospital Shahdara, Data Darbar Waqf and Government Mian Mir Hospital, three each of the Lady Aitchison, Sharif Medical City Hospital and Red Crescent, two each of the THQ Raiwind and Sarwat Anwar Hospital Garden Town and one each of the Punjab Institute of Cardiology and Life Hospital.  These have been directed not to perform any kind of surgical procedures at these theatres until the respective administrations submit laboratory reports to the Commission that standardised measures have been implemented in the theatres. All these healthcare establishments have been directed to implement the MSDS, and appear before the PHC hearing committee to submit a written reply outlining the reasons for not implementing the Standards. “In case, they fail to submit a satisfactory reply, fine can be imposed on them,” he added.