LAHORE: The Punjab Healthcare Commission has directed 14 hospitals to suspend surgeries in their 21 operation theatres, and has issued show-cause notices to 26 healthcare establishments for violating the PHC Act 2010, and not implementing the Minimum Service Delivery Standards. According to PHC spokesperson on Thursday, Islamia Hospital Chiniot, Punjab Social Security Health Management Company Hospital Muzaffargarh, Chiniot General Hospital Faisalabad, DHQ hospitals of Okara, Muzaffargarh, Khanewal and South City Okara, THQ hospital of Sadiqabad, Pasrur, Bhalwal, Shahpur and Bhera were directed to immediately stop operating on patients. The directive also covered two operation theatres each at Gujrat Hospital and a THQ hospital in Rahim Yar Khan; four in Aziz Bhatti Shaheed Teaching Hospital Sialkot, and three in DHQ Hospital Sheikhupura. The PHC has directed administrations of these hospitals to suspend surgeries in the operation theatres because these OTs are unfit for medical procedures. These theatres will become functional only after the administrations concerned submit laboratory reports and written replies to the Punjab Healthcare Commission after having implemented the standardised measures in these theatres. In its 27 inspections of both public and private hospitals of different districts, notices were served to nine hospitals for not taking requisite measures for the disposal of the medical waste. These include Noreen Nishat Hospital Khanewal, City Hospital Pakpattan, Punjab Social Security Health Management Company Hospital Muzaffargarh, THQ hospitals of Malikwal, Sadiqabad, Mandi Bahauddin, Pasrur, Bhalwal, Shahpur and Bhera. Published in Daily Times, February 2nd 2018.