Nawaz’s treatment at Lahore hospital triples patients’ plight

LAHORE: Patients and their attendants at the Services Hospital Lahore have been facing acute problems and are going through much agony since the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif was admitted there, ARY News reported on Tuesday.

The patients told ARY News that three out of four gates of the hospital had been closed for the public since last four days, adding that they had to travel a long distance to reach inside the hospital.

Sources said that at least 80 police personnel were deployed inside and outside of the hospital for Nawaz Sharif’s security.

An attendant said that common patients were suffering due to the ‘VIP protocol’ and so-called security measures for the former prime minister Nawaz Sharif in the hospital.

However the hospital’s management said that the closure of the gates was a routine practice, and was not specifically due to security arrangements for the former prime minister.

Responding to a question, Services Hospital Medical Superintendent (MS) Dr Qambar said that gate number 2 was remained closed on holidays and was closed due to public holiday of Kashmir Day, while gate number 3 was closed daily after the general shift ended. He said that the gate number 1 and 4 were open for the public.

The visitors, however, dismissed the claims and said that they had to take detours to far-flung departments of the hospital since only one gate was opened for the public.

It was learnt that some departments were as far as 500 metres from the emergency gates, causing a distress to the patients and their attendants.

Earlier, ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif had underwent several medical tests at the Services Hospital Lahore, on February 3 as prescribed by the medical board formed to examine his deteriorating health.

A six-member medical board had examined Sharif and conduct his blood and sugar tests as well as electrocardiography (ECG).

The board would decide today whether to keep Sharif in the hospital or release him. Sharif had been shifted to Services Hospital, Lahore from Kot Lakhpat Jail on Saturday amid tight security.