LAHORE: The Lahore High Court yesterday sought final arguments from both parties in a petition seeking action against the responsible of deaths of children due to shortage of medicines of diphtheria in public hospitals.
The DG Health appeared before the court on its order and said that diphtheria patients reached the hospitals in critical condition and doctors provided them the best treatment but they could not survive. Without giving exact reason, he told the court that neither shortage of medicines or negligence on part of the doctors caused the deaths.
The judge was hearing a public interest petition against deaths of diphtheria-hit children due to alleged unavailability of ventilators and medicines at Children Hospital of Lahore.
Representing the petition, Advocate Azhar Siddique maintained that the deaths of the children were a result of criminal negligence on part of health department officials. He said the responsible officials should be booked under murder charges.–Staff Reporter
The lawyer alleged that the government utilised the budget of health and other sectors for construction of Orange Line Metro Train.
An additional advocate general told the court that acquisition of new ventilators for all hospitals was in process.
After hearing both sides, Justice Khalid Mehmood Khan adjourned further hearing until January 15.