LAHORE(National times)- The Punjab government has imposed a complete ban on the use of mobile phones during working hours in all public hospitals across the province. According to a notification issued by the Department of Specialised Healthcare and Medical Education, hospital staff below BPS-18 are prohibited from using mobile phones while on duty, especially in clinical and service delivery areas. The restriction applies to wards, intensive care units (ICUs), neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) and operation theatres, where video or audio recording has also been strictly banned. Officials said the decision was taken after taking serious notice of mobile phone usage disrupting medical services. However, staff assigned purely administrative duties have been allowed limited use of mobile phones for official purposes. In addition to the phone ban, the department has ordered stricter surveillance measures to prevent theft and improve accountability, particularly in hospital pharmacies. CCTV cameras will be installed at pharmacy stores and medicine dispensing counters, while pharmacy staff will be required to wear body-worn cameras during duty. The notification stated that body cameras must be used during stock receipt, issuance and reconciliation. Security guards deployed at pharmacy areas, as well as at internal and external hospital entry points, will also be required to wear body cameras. All CCTV and body camera footage must be preserved for at least 30 days and monitored through a central control room operating under authorised administrative and security supervision. Medical superintendents have been directed to ensure the availability of surveillance equipment, while chief pharmacists and chief security officers have been instructed to strictly implement the new directives.