PM health insurance to be expanded; new system of medicines purchase, storage
LAHORE
Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif in a meeting reviewed the steps taken to improve the healthcare system and expand the scope of the PM National Health Insurance Programme on Monday.
CM Inspection Team chairman presented the initial investigation report on implantation of sub-standard stents to patents in Mayo Hospital. The meeting reviewed the public private partnership model for the construction of new hospitals.
Speaking at meeting, the CM said the PM National Health Insurance Programme is a great project and it will be expanded to whole of the Punjab in phases. He said in the first phase, PM Health Insurance Programme will be expanded to the south Punjab and all-out resources will be utilised to expand it to all 36 districts, and the Punjab government will provide all possible resources for the expansion of this programme. He ordered the authorities concerned to prepare a road-map for the PM Health Insurance Programme. He said: “We have to change the system which provides best health facilities to the rich and the poor die without getting any medical aid. The state is responsible for providing standardised health facilities to the citizens and we will discharge this responsibility at any cost”. He said this is time to change the cruel system which has been prevailing for decades and if this rotten system is not changed the revolution will replace it. We have to correct this system and proceed forward in a professional way. It is the time for action, not for rhetoric. Beds will be obtained in the private hospitals from the resources of Punjab government to provide health facilities to poor patients, the CM said. He ordered the authorities to demarcate the pieces of land for the establishment of hospitals at the divisional headquarters under the public private partnership.
Shahbaz Sharif said a new system is being introduced for the purchase transportation distribution and the storage of medicines and with this system based on modern technology embezzlement and corruption will be uprooted so that provision of medicines to the common man could be ensured. He said that the government will set up its own warehouses for storage of medicines and get support from the partnership from Health Ministry of Turkey in this regard and by the end of current, five warehouses will be set up. He said all development projects in Punjab are being completed transparently and health projects will be carried out under this strategy. He said for completion of health care system, a cabinet committee has been established which has been provided revolving fund amounting to Rs 100 million. He said there should not be any complaint of non-provision of ventilators in government hospitals. He said that Vice Chancellor King Edwards Medical University will present a report on alleged death of a female patent at the Services Hospital due to unavailability of ventilator. He said that a strategy has been evolved to overcome the shortage of nephrologists in government hospitals. He detected the authorities to pursue uniform strategy regarding the purchase of stents. CEO Indus Hospital Dr Abdul Bari said the determination and hard work with which CM Shahbaz Sharif working to reform the health is matchless and that his efforts will produce positive results.
Stressing on the professional approach to improve the Health Care System, Shahbaz Sharif said this is not right approach to work that the latest machinery is installed at hospitals but there is no body to operate it and there is no effective monitory system in place. He said the Punjab govt did not avoid bringing latest machinery from abroad by air and it cannot be tolerated that this machinery is not looked after properly and there are no experts to operate it. On the occasion the CM recited a couplet: “Masjid to bana dee shab bhar may eema ki hararat walon nay Mun apna purana papi ha barsoon may namazi ban na sakka.” The CM said: “We have to work with determination, passion and hard work to change the decades old worn-out system which provides best health facilities to the rich but the poor die without getting medical aid. We have to change this system and proceed forward.”
The CM reviewed progress on the under-construction 100-bed hospital in Manawan. The Punjab government and the administration of Indus Hospital decided to operate the hospital on the pattern of Badian Road Hospital.
Speaking on the occasion, the CM said the administration of the Indus Hospital done a praiseworthy job by successfully operating the Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the Badian Road Hospital to provide top quality facilities to the common man and the same model should be followed in the case of Manawan Hospital. He said the 100 bed hospital will be completed within the time limit and emergency facility will also be provided in the hospital.
WIDOW OF SLAIN PROFESSOR CALLS ON CM: The widow of the murdered professor of Govt Science College Wahdat Road and her minor son called on the CM. He expressed heartfelt condolences over the death of slain professor. He announced financial assistance of Rs 2 million and house in Ashiana Housing Scheme and said that Punjab Government will bear educational expanses of the son of the deceased professor and provide free health facilities to his family. He assured the widow that those responsible for the murder will be brought to the justice.
trade, not aid: Shahbaz Sharif has said Pakistan and US enjoy excellent ties but both countries need to further promote trade and economic cooperation.
Talking to USAID Pakistan Mission Director John Groarke, who called on him here Monday, the chief minister said, "we do not need aid rather we need trade; therefore, bilateral trade should be given more and more promotion and the private sector should also be encouraged to create more job opportunities."
USAID Pakistan Mission Director John Groarke and Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif discussed the matters of mutual interest and the promotion of mutual cooperation in energy, agriculture and other sectors.
Speaking on the occasion, the chief minister said Pakistan and US enjoy excellent ties but both countries need to further promote trade and economic cooperation. He said, "we do not need aid rather we need trade; therefore, bilateral trade should be given more and more promotion and the private sector should also be encouraged to create more job opportunities." He said that significant drop in outages had been observed due to the efforts of the government and work on the 3,600MW gas power projects was in progress at the fast track.
He said several power projects would be completed by the end of the current year that would eliminate load-shedding and Pakistan would become self-sufficient in the power production. He said the Punjab government was working on revolutionary projects in education, health and agriculture sectors. He said Rs100 billion package was being implemented in Punjab for the farmers welfare besides giving subsidy on fertiliser.
He said that reforms were being implemented in the education and health sectors and effective measures had also been taken to protect the rights of the women. He said a special centre had been established in Multan to provide justice to the torture victim women under one roof.
The chief minister said thousands of intelligent but poor students had become doctors and engineers by getting financial aid from Punjab Education Endowment Fund. He said the latest metro bus service was running successfully in Lahore, Rawalpindi and Islamabad while the metro bus project in the Multan District of South Punjab had also been completed. He said that metro bus system was not only modern but trustful transportation system. He said the cooperation of USAID in agriculture and energy sectors was praiseworthy.
USAID Mission Pakistan Director John Groarke said cooperation with the Punjab would continue on permanent basis and the efforts of the Punjab government to improve agriculture production were inspirational. US Consul General Yuriy Fedkiw was also present besides Provincial Finance Minister Dr Ayesha Ghous Pasha, Dr Umar Saif, and other officers concerned.