By Dr Ansab Ali | Lahore, Pakistan

LAHORE: Punjab Energy Minister Malik Faisal Ayub Khokhar has reviewed the launch of the SHIELD programme, aimed at strengthening electrical safety, assessing infrastructure and identifying potential hazards in public hospitals across Punjab.

Secretary Energy Muhammad Ajmal Bhatti and Punjab Energy Efficiency and Conservation Agency (PEECA) Chief Executive Officer Abdul Rehman briefed the minister on the programme’s objectives, ongoing activities and implementation strategy.

The meeting was informed that energy audits of 20 major public hospitals with high energy consumption across Punjab would be completed within the next four months. Audits of Children’s Hospital Lahore and Services Hospital Lahore have already been completed.

The audits will examine electrical installations, connected loads, distribution systems and other critical infrastructure to identify technical deficiencies, overloading risks and potential electrical hazards. Their findings will help formulate recommendations for corrective measures to improve electrical safety and energy performance.

The programme was initiated following the recent incident at PIMS Hospital in Islamabad, with the aim of strengthening preventive assessments of electrical systems in public hospitals across Punjab. The initiative seeks to identify potential risks at an early stage and prevent accidents through timely corrective action.

Under the programme, comprehensive assessments will be followed by recommendations for necessary safety measures and infrastructure improvements. Their implementation will be coordinated with the relevant hospital administrations and departments.

Malik Faisal Ayub Khokhar emphasised the importance of ensuring a safe and reliable electricity supply in public healthcare facilities, saying that secure and efficient electrical systems were essential for patient care and the uninterrupted operation of critical medical equipment.

He said timely identification and mitigation of electrical hazards were vital to protecting patients, healthcare professionals and hospital staff. Alongside promoting energy efficiency, the safety and reliability of electrical installations would remain a key priority.

The minister directed the relevant authorities to complete the audits within the stipulated timeframe and ensure effective coordination with concerned institutions for the timely rectification of identified safety deficiencies.