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President imposes fine, orders Shifa hospital to refund Rs2.9 mln over patient’s death

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President imposes fine, orders Shifa hospital to refund Rs2.9 mln over patient's death

President Dr Arif Alvi on Saturday directed the Islamabad Healthcare Regulatory Authority (IHRA) to issue instructions to Shifa International Hospital Islamabad (SHIFA) to refund an amount of Rs2.9 million to the daughter of a patient who died due to the medical negligence, professional misconduct, and malpractice of the doctors of the hospital.

The president also upheld the imposition of fine of Rs900,000 on SHIFA as maladministration and medical negligence had been proven against the hospital, President Secretariat Press Wing said in a press release on Saturday.

The president issued these directions while rejecting a representation filed by IHRA against the orders of the federal ombudsman in which the ombudsman had held that the complainant (deceased patient’s daughter) had been discriminated against as in a similar case in the past, IHRA had not only imposed a fine on SHIFA but had also issued the directions to the hospital to refund the amount in lieu of medical bills.

He ordered that the refund should be paid within a week to the complainant.

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While rejecting IHRA’s representation, the president observed that IHRA had investigated the complaints, found medical negligence and imposed fine of Rs900,000 upon SHIFA which had also been received by IHRA and thus medical negligence had been established upon the healthcare establishment.

He further said that IHRA did not direct the hospital to reimburse actual amount of medical bill incurred on the treatment of the complainant’s mother as per orders of the learned ombudsman whereas in another case namely Dr Iqtidar Mehmood Dara against Shifa International Hospital, Islamabad, IHRA had held that “The medical bill should be refunded to the complainant by SHIFA International Hospital”.

The president held that it was an established principle that similarly placed persons should be treated alike and equal treatment to all is the hallmark of our Constitution i.e. Article 4 and 25.

He said that the object and purpose of the law would be fulfilled only when the complainant was provided relief for any negligence by the hospital. “The Agency must have been more vigilant and watchful to fulfil its responsibilities”, he added.

The president further observed that the main purpose of the establishment of Islamabad Healthcare Regulatory Authority was to provide a regulatory framework to ensure provision of quality health care services, by implementing quality standards by the healthcare sector, to residents of the Islamabad Capital Territory”.

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He noted that IHRA was responsible to “exercise any powers and perform any functions as may be necessary for carrying out the purposes of its Act on the instruction of the Federal Government”, and since maladministration and negligence had been established and it had not been assailed by SHIFA, therefore, the orders had been rightly passed, and the representation deserved to be rejected.

As per details, Mst Farrukh Naeem Tahir (the complainant) had alleged that her mother was diagnosed with COVID-19 who died due to the negligence of the doctors of SHIFA and she lodged a complaint before IHRA against the hospital and IHRA imposed a fine of Rs900,000/- on the hospital for committing negligence but did not ask the hospital to refund the medical bill amounting to Rs2,979,637 as per order of the ombudsman.

Thereafter, she filed a review application and requested to re-open the case and re-visit its earlier decision with the direction to IHRA to issue instructions to the hospital to refund the medical bill.

The ombudsman issued the orders in her favour, which were impugned by IHRA by filing a representation with the president.

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Election date will alleviate uncertainty: Kaira

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Election date will alleviate uncertainty: Kaira

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Qamar Zaman Kaira emphasised that providing a specific date by the Election Commission for general elections would help alleviate the prevailing uncertainty.

Kaira reiterated that the PPP firmly upholds its constitutional mandate to hold elections and believes it is essential for stability.

Furthermore, he clarified that the issue of a level playing field is distinct from this matter and should be addressed separately. 

It is to be recalled that PPP co-chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari had earlier requested the Election Commission (ECP) to announce a date for polls in the country.

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Solangi for eliminating extremism, prejudices from society

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Solangi for eliminating extremism, prejudices from society

Federal Caretaker Minister for Information and Broadcasting Murtaza Solangi said Thursday that the elimination of extremism and all types of prejudices was not only part of Islamic religious norms and Islamic history, but it was also a cornerstone of the Pakistan ideology.

In his speech at a peace festival here, the minister said that the National Counter-Terrorism Authority had taken important steps to eliminate extremism and terrorism from society.

Solangi said that extremism was one of the elements that destroyed peace and violence which bred terrorism.

The minister said that Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah had highlighted the rights of minorities in his speech of August 11, 1947. He said that Islam also taught kindness to humanity, irrespective of caste and creed.

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Solangi said that anti-peace forces wanted to weaken the power of Pakistan by targeting minorities as diversity was Pakistan’s strength. “All the people of the state of Pakistan enjoyed equal rights.”

The minister said the promotion and protection of minorities’ rights on the principle of equality was a major weapon against extremism. He said that time had come to eliminate all types of prejudices from society, as it was one aspect of the ideology of the creation of Pakistan.

The minister also recalled that 22 years ago in 2001, the United Nations had announced to celebrate the International Day of Peace on September 21 every year. In 2023, he added, 75 years of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights would also be marked which was an important milestone in itself.

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Captain Safdar acquitted of sedition, MPO violation charges

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Captain Safdar acquitted of sedition, MPO violation charges

A district court on Thursday acquitted Captain (r) Muhammad Safdar, the son-in-law of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, in two cases involving charges of sedition, criminal intimidation and violation of the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO).

Judicial Magistrate Bilal Muneer Warraich pronounced the judgment which had been reserved on the previous hearing.

Advocates Farhad Ali Shah and Haroon Bhutta appeared before the court on behalf of their client Captain (r) Safdar.

Two FIRs had been registered with the Islampura police station against Safdar under different charges, including the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) and 124-A & 506 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC).

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