Medical Superintendent negligence behind Gujrat hospital roof collapse

GUJRAT: Negligence of the Medical Superintendent Aziz Bhatti Shaheed Hospital emerged in the roof collapse incident in DHQ Hospital Gujrat on Wednesday.

On Wednesday, three patients, including a woman were killed and 18 others injured in an incident of roof collapse in the surgical ward of Aziz Bhatti Teaching Hospital in Gujrat.

The Medical Superintendent has been removed from duty, and three officers of The Building Department – Executive Engineer Muhammad Rauf, Sdo Fawad Munir, and Sub-Engineer Sartaaj Ahmed – have been suspended.

On December 27, the SDO Building Department in a letter to MS of Aziz Bhatti Shaheed Hospital disclosed that the building can collapse at any time. Sources told Daily Ausaf/ABN News that MS was informed that the hospital roof will not be able to bear that much load of concrete blocks made for solar panels on the roof.

READ MORE: Roof collapse leaves many injured at Gujrat DHQ hospital

In the letter, it was revealed that installing a heavy solar system on the roof of a 60-year-old building can be dangerous. SDO Building Fawad Munir argued that a letter was written to Medical Superintendent Aziz Bhatti Shaheed Hospital again on March 8.

According to the sources, repeated letters sent to the Medical Superintendent by the Sub-Divisional Office regarding the condition of the roof remained unanswered.

Earlier, the Chief Minister, taking immediate notice of the incident, directed the formation of a 10-member inquiry committee to investigate the matter and submit a report within 72 hours.

The committee, headed by Commissioner Gujranwala, includes Deputy Commissioner Gujrat, construction experts, and other officials. The committee will probe the causes of the roof collapse and identify those responsible for the incident.