Summary The Lahore High Court ordered Punjab government hospitals to replace traditional patient slips with a modern management system within four weeks.
LAHORE (Muhammad Ashfaq) - The Lahore High Court has ordered the abolition of the traditional patient slip system in all government hospitals across Punjab within four weeks.
The court directed authorities to ensure that patients visiting emergency departments and outpatient departments are not forced to stand in lengthy queues for registration and slips, but instead receive prompt medical examinations and treatment.
Justice Malik Javed Iqbal Wains issued a written order on a petition filed by the Judicial Activism Panel. The court directed the Punjab Health Department to introduce an effective, technology-based patient management system to eliminate unnecessary delays, overcrowding and long queues at registration counters.
According to the order, a petition concerning the lack of basic healthcare facilities in government hospitals has been pending since 2020. Despite several judicial notices and directions, none of the parties has submitted a compliance report so far.
The court observed that continued failure to implement its orders reflected an irresponsible and non-serious attitude on the part of the relevant government officials.
During the hearing, Special Secretary Health Nabeela Irfan assured the court that the traditional slip system would be abolished in Punjab's government hospitals within four weeks and replaced with a modern and efficient patient management system.
The court also directed the Health Department to submit a comprehensive report detailing the medical facilities available in government hospitals, their quality and measures taken to improve them.
The Lahore High Court ordered all relevant authorities to submit detailed compliance reports at the next hearing, warning that legal action could be initiated against officials who fail to implement judicial orders without justification.
