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A legal notice has been sent to the concerned authorities, demanding an assessment of the quality of emergency medical services in all private hospitals, clinics, and diagnostic centers nationwide, the operation of mobile courts to prevent irregularities, and the formation of a judicial inquiry commission into the deaths of six children at Ad-Din Hospital.
The notice was sent to the Minister of Health, Secretary of Health, Secretary of Home Affairs, Secretary of Law, Inspector General of Police (IGP), Director General of RAB, and other relevant officials.
Advocate S. M. Zulfikar Ali Junu, a Supreme Court lawyer and Chairman of the National Lawyers’ Council, sent this notice on Sunday (May 31).
The notice states that, according to the constitution, ensuring citizens’ lives, healthcare, and security is one of the state’s fundamental responsibilities. It is the state’s duty to ensure safe, quality, and accountable healthcare for the public. However, there have been long-standing allegations of various irregularities and mismanagement in the quality of treatment, valid licenses, trained personnel, emergency services, and life-saving equipment management in various private hospitals, clinics, and diagnostic centers across the country.
The notice further states that the deaths of six children at Ad-Din Hospital have caused widespread concern and sorrow across the nation. It is crucial to form an independent and impartial judicial inquiry commission to uncover the true cause of the incident, hold those responsible accountable, and prevent such occurrences in the future.
Several recommendations have been put forward in the public interest notice. These include: conducting special monitoring campaigns in private hospitals and clinics nationwide, verifying licenses and safety measures through mobile courts, evaluating the capacity of ICU, CCU, HDU, and NICU units, verifying the registration and qualifications of doctors and healthcare workers, taking strict action against unauthorized and substandard institutions, and forming an inquiry commission led by a High Court judge to investigate the Ad-Din Hospital incident.
Furthermore, demands have been made for the publication of the investigation report, taking legal action against those responsible, and ensuring appropriate compensation and assistance for the affected families.
The notice states that if visible and effective measures are not taken within 15 days, necessary legal actions, including filing a writ petition against the concerned authorities, will be pursued in the public interest.