Monday, October 3

Hospitals directed not to pay commodity bills of residents

Provincial Secretary Health has directed all the Principals and Medical Superintendents of autonomous medical institutions, head of special medical institutions, Executive District Officers-Health and medical superintendents of the District Headquarter Hospitals and the Tehsil Headquarter Hospitals of the province to submit a certificate to the effect that electricity and Sui gas charges of the residents within the premises were not being paid from the main budget of the hospitals and that separate meters have been installed, to the department by October 30, 2005.
In a circular issued to the head of the institutions, the Secretary Health Rashida Malik has observed with great concern that in a number of the medical and health institutions, separate electricity and Sui gas meters had not been installed in the residences located in the premises of the hospitals, with the result that either no electricity charges were collected from the occupants of the residences or such charges were collected at minimal flat rates. “This means that huge liability on account of electricity and Sui gas charges is being placed on the already meagre resources of the hospital, which should actually be utilised for the benefit of patients,” she added.Rashida Malik has further directed that all persons living in such residences must pay their electricity and Sui gas bills as per domestic rates and the burden of such charges should not, under any circumstances, be transferred to the public exchequer as the same was not only against the financial rules as well as conduct rules, but was also morally unacceptable as scarce resources, which should be reserved for patient care, were pilfered away illegally. The Secretary Health further directed that if the meters were not installed separately and electricity and Sui gas bills were deducted from the residents, then separate meters or sub-meters must be installed at each residence, quarter, flat within a period of one month.

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