Daily Times

LAHORE: Punjab Healthcare Commission (PHC) has taken actions against more than 4,000 quacks and imposed a fine over Rs 2 million during the last 15 months.

PHC Chief Operating Officer (COO) Dr Muhammad Ajmal Khan disclosed this while speaking at the inauguration ceremony of the commission’s regional office in Multan on Friday. “The commission intends to establish its regional offices in Faisalabad and Rawalpindi divisions as well,” he added.

He said the Punjab Healthcare Commission is the first statutory body in the province to regulate healthcare services, and at the same time develop and enforce Minimum Service Delivery Standards (MSDS) at all levels by promoting the culture of clinical governance. In addition, eradicating quackery in all its forms and manifestations is also the mandate of the commission, he added.

The purpose of setting up this regional office is to address the complaints of the people of South Punjab and its adjoining areas, Khan said, adding that the commission has already registered over 31,000 healthcare establishments and issued over 17,000 licenses to facilitate people with quality healthcare services. In order to check quackery, PHC, during the last 15 months, has taken actions against over 4,000 quacks and imposed a fine over Rs 2 million, he mentioned.

DCO Multan Nadir Chatha, who was especially present on the occasion, expressed his gratitude to the commission for its devoted efforts towards addressing quackery and promoting high quality healthcare services in this region. He assured his full cooperation towards achieving the objectives of the commission, so as to ensure the provision of standardised and high-quality healthcare facilities for all.