The Punjab Healthcare Commission (PHC) has initiated the process of finalising guidelines for hospital emergency departments, according to a spokesperson for the commission. A committee has been constituted to complete the consultation process and submit recommendations within a fortnight. In this regard, a consultation meeting, chaired by Chief Executive Officer Punjab Healthcare Commission Dr Muhammad Saqib Aziz, was held here on Thursday. Speaking at the meeting, Dr Saqib Aziz highlighted the importance of proper management of emergencies in the ‘golden hour’ to save lives. He emphasised the need to train doctors, nurses and paramedics in emergency medicine, and life-saving skills. He also underlined the need for inculcating professionalism, ethical practices and character-building in the medical graduates. “Due to high-level of stress and fear of aggression by the accompanying relatives of the critically ill patients, the emergency staff must be properly skilled and provided a safe working environment and rewarding service structure,” he added. Director Clinical Governance Dr Mushtaq Ahmed Sulariya presented key features of the draft guidelines, and invited inputs. The participants highly appreciated the PHC initiative, and lauded commission’s role in bringing improvement in the healthcare service delivery. Upon completion of the consultations, Dr Saqib constituted a committee, comprising emergency experts, which would complete consultations, and submit its recommendations to the PHC within 15 days. President College of Physicians and Surgeons Pakistan (CPSP) Prof Shoaib Shafi, Senior Vice-President Prof Khalid Masood Gondal, Dean Academics CPSP Prof Ghulam Mustafa Arain, Director Licensing and Accreditation PHC Dr Muhammad Anwar Janjua were present besides emergency medicine experts from the specialised public and private sector hospitals.