LAHORE: The Punjab government has so far been unable to provide free medicines to all patients at major public hospitals, falling short of its healthcare commitment.
As per a recent report by the Punjab Health Department, fewer than 75 percent of patients received free medicines at 27 major hospitals across the province.
In Lahore alone, the situation remains troubling. Only half of the patients visiting the city’s nine key hospitals were given access to free medicines.
The report highlights that free medicines were provided to 39 percent of patients at Lahore’s Dental Hospital, 45 percent at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, 54 percent at Mayo Hospital, and 51 percent at Lahore General Hospital.
Hospitals in other cities are facing similar challenges. Just 31 percent of patients received free medicine at Nishter Dental Hospital in Multan, 50 percent at Nishter Hospital Multan, 43 percent at both Sahiwal Teaching Hospital and THQ Hospital Zafarwal, and 48 percent at Gujranwala Hospital.
The data has raised concerns about the province’s ability to deliver on its promises of accessible public healthcare, especially for the underprivileged who rely on government hospitals for basic treatment.