LAHORE, Dec 26 (INP): The Supreme Court on Wednesday directed the Punjab health minister to procure 279 ventilators in four months time.

The Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Saqib Nisar expressed anger at the lack of facilities provided in government hospitals while hearing a case regarding the lack of ventilators in government hospitals. To this, Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid told the court that the summary to buy the ventilators is with the chief minister.

“How many summaries are with the chief minister,” the chief justice remarked, “You think ventilators are a joke.”

[timed-content-server show="12/27/2018 01:00 Asia/Karachi"]He continued, “We should call the chief minister here and get the summaries approved.” Dr Rashid further told the court that the previous government’s chief minister did not sign the summaries and the current chief minister cannot sign the summary due to Punjab Procurement Regulatory Authority rules. To this chief justice said that the previous minister says that he will not sign on the old date. The health minister replied, “Summary of 279 ventilators has been sent to the chief minister.” “Can hospitals run without ventilators?” the top judge asked. “Ventilators are taken from the poor and given to the rich.” Justice Nisar added that private hospitals charge Rs23,000 for a bed in intensive care unit and Rs5,000 for a ventilator. “It is the government’s responsibility to provide free ventilators to patients,” he said. To this, the provincial health minister replied, “I will personally look into the matter and will get the summary approved by the chief minister in 10 days.” The top judge then directed Dr Rashid to get 279 ventilators in four months time. INP/LK/AJ[/timed-content-server]