Banning Elite’s Private Medical Treatment Can Improve Public Hospitals: Senator Pervaiz Rashid
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Senator Pervaiz Rashid has called for a ban on private medical treatment for the country’s elite, arguing that such a measure would lead to significant improvements in public hospitals.
Speaking in the Senate, Pervaiz Rashid said tragedies such as the recent incident at PIMS had become a recurring part of Pakistan’s fate.
He said inquiries and punishments alone would not be enough, noting that similar investigations had been conducted and punishments imposed in the past.
The senator proposed legislation under which everyone, regardless of position, would be required to receive medical treatment at government hospitals, including senators, judges and bureaucrats.
He said private treatment for the elite should be prohibited, arguing that within months of such a ban, the condition of government hospitals would improve dramatically.
Rashid further suggested that anyone receiving a government salary but refusing to use public hospitals should face consequences, including losing their job.
He drew a comparison with military hospitals, saying Civilian Military Hospitals (CMHs) were generally praised because military personnel, from lower-ranking staff to senior officers, received treatment there.
The senator also argued that if people receiving government salaries were required to use public transport, the quality of public transportation would similarly improve.
