MPs Share Disturbing Stories of Neglect at Shifa Hospital

News Desk

Islamabad: Shifa International Hospital, widely regarded as one of Islamabad’s premier private healthcare facilities, has come under fire following a flood of emotional and alarming testimonies from lawmakers, accusing the hospital of unethical practices, financial exploitation, and operating without full regulatory compliance.

During a recent meeting of the National Assembly’s Sub-Committee on Health, members recounted deeply personal experiences that they said reflected a broader pattern of patient mistreatment and profit-driven care.

“They Wouldn’t Release My Mother’s Body”

The session began with a powerful account from the committee convener, Dr. Amjad Ali Khan, who revealed that Shifa International refused to release his deceased mother’s body in 2015 until the pending hospital bill was guaranteed.

“My mother had just passed away. I was abroad, and my younger brother was alone at the hospital. They told him, ‘you cannot take the body until you pay,’” he said. It wasn’t until Dr. Amjad contacted a friend working at the hospital to stand as guarantor that the body was released.

“This is my personal story,” he said, adding that the experience was not unique, but emblematic of how some private hospitals in Pakistan allegedly exploit grief for profit.

“Zulm with a Brain-Dead Body”

Another emotional testimony came from MNA Dr. Zahra Wadood Fatemi, who shared how Shifa kept a brain-dead patient — a family acquaintance — on a ventilator for a week, despite knowing there was no chance of recovery. “I was paying Rs. 100,000 per day from my own pocket,” she said. “They were torturing a lifeless body.”

She accused the hospital of refusing to withdraw life support without explicit family consent, prolonging emotional trauma. “I asked the doctors to explain to the son that his father was gone. They didn’t,” she said. Only after she insisted she could no longer pay did the hospital agree to stop the treatment. “That incident is burned into my memory. I have never returned to Shifa since.”

“They Refused Treatment Until Payment Was Made”

MNA Dr. Shazia Sobia Aslam Soomro added to the chorus of criticism, describing how Shifa refused to treat her critically ill aunt — suffering from sepsis and dangerously low blood pressure — until initial payment procedures were completed. “They didn’t even check her vitals until we got the MR number,” she said. “This wasn’t just unethical. It was inhuman.”

She also questioned the quality of Shifa’s Intensive Care Unit (ICU), bluntly stating that “it is not very good.”

Lawmakers Unconvinced

In response, Shifa International’s Chief Operating Officer, Taimur Shah, denied the allegations, insisting that since 2019, the hospital has operated under a “no questions asked” emergency treatment policy and does not withhold deceased bodies, instead accepting promissory notes.

But lawmakers remained unconvinced, pointing out that the incidents described — particularly those involving Dr. Amjad and Dr. Shazia — contradicted the hospital’s official stance. Dr. Zahra’s testimony raised further concerns about the hospital’s ethical decision-making in end-of-life care.

Licensing Concerns Raised

Beyond individual testimonies, the committee criticized Shifa for operating under a provisional license from the Islamabad Healthcare Regulatory Authority (IHRA), without undergoing a full institutional audit. Only partial inspections of departments like blood banking and radiology have taken place so far.

The lack of comprehensive oversight drew sharp rebukes from committee members, who warned that allowing elite institutions to function without full licensure undermines public trust in healthcare regulation.

High Prices Under Scrutiny

The committee also condemned Shifa’s exorbitant pricing, including charging Rs. 2,000 for a simple CBC test — a test that costs Rs. 300 at other facilities. The hospital’s justification of “activity-based costing” was dismissed by the lawmakers, who announced plans to form a Price Determination Committee under IHRA to address overcharging and ensure pricing transparency.

Audits vs. Accountability

While Shah emphasized Shifa’s engagement in external audits — financial (by BDO), quality (under Joint Commission International), and environmental (linked to World Bank requirements) — lawmakers made clear that third-party certifications and branding cannot substitute state-mandated accountability, especially when patients and families are bearing the cost.

Committee Vows Action

The Health Sub-Committee concluded by vowing to push for the following reforms:

Mandatory clinical and financial audits of private hospitals

Full enforcement of licensing procedures

Price control mechanisms for tests and services

Penalties for hospitals that delay treatment or exploit grieving families

“This is not just about one hospital,” said a committee member. “It’s about ensuring no patient or family in Pakistan is treated like this again.”

The revelations have sparked fresh debate about the commercialization of healthcare in Pakistan and the urgent need for a stronger, more responsive regulatory framework to protect patients’ rights.