PESHAWAR: Despite a surprise visit by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister Sohail Afridi and clear written directives, the administration of Lady Reading Hospital (LRH) failed to implement the CM’s orders, raising serious questions about authority and governance in the provincial health system.
During a late-night inspection on December 17 of the LRH Paeds Emergency Department, CM Afridi found patient care, cleanliness, staff availability and overall administrative performance to be alarmingly poor. Following the visit, the Health Department issued a formal letter ordering the immediate removal of the hospital director over poor performance. The same order also directed the suspension of head of Paeds Emergency Department and the initiation of a fact-finding inquiry.
However, contrary to these explicit instructions, the hospital director continues to remain in office. Moreover, the LRH administration led by Nosherwan Burki, a cousin of Imran Khan, reportedly exonerated the director of all wrongdoing, effectively neutralising the chief minister’s decision.
Provincial Secretary Health Shahid Ullah Khan told this correspondent that CM Afridi had issued clear directives, which were conveyed to Lady Reading Hospital by the Health Department. According to him, the hospital administration acted on these directives by ordering an inquiry.
Hospital sources maintain that LRH operates under the MTI Act and that the entire administration is answerable to the board. They argue that no official can be removed from service without an inquiry and without being allowed to defend themselves. “The hospital director’s performance remained highly satisfactory and outstanding, under which several projects have been successfully completed at the hospital,” they added.
However, a spokesperson for LRH told The News that the tenure of hospital director Brig (retd) Dr Muhammad Abrar Khan was not being extended and that he will be relieved from service on December 31 (today). The spokesperson added that the LRH Board of Governors had already issued an advertisement for the recruitment of a new hospital director. He confirmed that an inquiry was conducted on the chief minister’s directives, but avoided responding to question on whether Dr Abrar was held responsible in the inquiry report or exonerated.
The chief minister conducted the inspection after a viral social media video revealed that a newborn at LRH was denied timely medical treatment. According to the official letter issued by the Health Department, the chief minister personally reviewed the situation and expressed serious dissatisfaction, particularly over the care of newborns and emergency patients.
