Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has ordered mandatory use of body cameras for staff at public hospitals following complaints from patients about service delivery and staff conduct.
While chairing a meeting on provincial health projects, the chief minister directed that nurses, ward attendants, security personnel, and pharmacy staff must wear body cameras during duty hours to improve transparency and accountability in hospitals. She said the measure aims to document interactions with patients and address complaints more effectively.
Maryam Nawaz also instructed hospital administrations to complete steam cleaning of facilities daily by 9 a.m. and imposed a ban on the use of mobile phones by doctors and nurses during working hours, stressing that patient care must remain the top priority.
To strengthen hospital management, the meeting approved the creation of a Medical Superintendent pool, with performance-linked salary incentives. The chief minister also assigned community health inspectors to conduct regular hospital surveys to monitor service standards.
She ordered the preparation of a revised medicines list for government hospitals and directed the formation of a committee to finalize it. She also called for a mechanism to ensure uninterrupted supply of essential medicines, expressing concern over shortages despite significant spending on drugs.
The chief minister further directed authorities to establish a data analysis center to assess the effectiveness of health sector initiatives and warned that inefficiency and negligence in public hospitals would not be tolerated.