Specialized Healthcare Dept fails to digitalise medicolegal reports despite LHC order

Despite the order of Lahore High Court, Specialized Healthcare Department has failed to digitalized its system which has raised concerns over its impact on the criminal justice system, reported 24NewsHD TV Channel.

Across Punjab online computerized medicolegal certificates and post-mortem reports are still not being issued in government hospitals as handwritten reports were being used.

Sources said the Specialized Healthcare Department held the medical superintendents (MSs) of the concerned hospitals responsible for the delay. Show-cause notices have been issued to the MSs of Services Hospital Lahore, Nishtar Hospital Multan, Allama Iqbal Memorial Hospital Sialkot, Allama Iqbal Teaching Hospital Dera Ghazi Khan and Dr. Faisal Masood Teaching Hospital Sargodha.

According to sources, handwritten medicolegal certificates and post-mortem reports carry the risk of alteration.

Although the reports were planned to be issued through an online system, the project could not be implemented due to a lack of funds and human resources. Official figures showed that the five hospitals issued a total of 3,644 medicolegal certificates and 283 post mortem reports. Nishtar Hospital Multan issued 816 medicolegal certificates and 182 post mortem reports, while Allama Iqbal Memorial Hospital Sialkot issued 1,245 medicolegal certificates and 43 post-mortem reports.

Dr. Faisal Masood Teaching Hospital Sargodha issued 735 medicolegal certificates and 48 post mortem reports, Allama Iqbal Teaching Hospital Dera Ghazi Khan issued 768 medicolegal certificates and 10 post-mortem reports, while Services Hospital Lahore issued 680 medicolegal certificates.

Sources said the ban on issuing handwritten medicolegal certificates and post-mortem reports has not been implemented even after six months.