The Medical Superintendent of Bahawal Victoria Hospital (BVH), Bahawalpur, Dr Amir Mehmood Bukhari, has been removed from his post over alleged administrative negligence and has been directed to report to the Specialized Healthcare and Medical Education Department.
The decision was taken following a surprise visit by Additional Chief Secretary (ACS) South Punjab, Fuad Hashim Rabbani, to the hospital’s emergency ward on Saturday. Dr Farzeen Ashraf, the Additional MS, has been given additional charge as acting Medical Superintendent to ensure the continuity of operations.
During the unannounced inspection, ACS Rabbani found a large number of patients in distress. He interacted with those present and received complaints about the non-availability of medicines and poor treatment. One disabled patient, Adnan, had reportedly been lying on the floor for three hours without being moved to a ward.
Rainwater had also accumulated in front of the emergency entrance, and no drainage measures had been taken. The MS and the Director of Emergency were reportedly sitting in air-conditioned rooms during the situation.
Visibly angered, the ACS summoned Dr Bukhari on the spot and expressed serious dissatisfaction. “Patients are waiting for a messiah while the hospital administration is hiding in offices,” he said. He rejected the MS’s claim that the shortage of medicines was due to budget constraints, pointing out that the Punjab government had increased the budget for free medicines from Rs 55 billion to Rs 79.5 billion.
The ACS submitted a report on the hospital’s condition to the provincial government and also sought an explanation from the Director of Emergency.
Meanwhile, the Young Doctors Association (YDA) Bahawalpur issued a press release, strongly criticising the administrative action. The YDA said that BVH is the only tertiary care hospital for an area of about 200 square kilometres, treating more than 4,000 emergency and 6,000 OPD patients daily. Despite the persistent shortage of doctors, paramedical staff, medicines, and essential equipment, the hospital continues to serve the public due to the dedication of its medical staff, they added.
The YDA also raised concerns over a viral video of the ACS’s visit, which they alleged was a “staged incident” for publicity. In the footage, a patient is shown being laid on the floor moments before the ACS arrived, despite the presence of an empty wheelchair. A person is then seen taking selfies of the scene and sending them to someone else.
Terming the episode suspicious, the association said such actions not only malign hardworking doctors but also erode public trust. “We will not allow the reputation of our institution and the integrity of our doctors to be sacrificed to any fake and misleading narrative,” the statement said. “Patient care will always be our top priority.