Better health facilities ensured, says Yasmin

LAHORE: Minister for Specialised Healthcare and Medical Education Dr Yasmin Rashid has said all means are being used to provide better health facilities to the people of Punjab.

She said this while giving a lecture to under-training officers in Management and Professional Development Department. Secretary Management and Professional Development Department was present. The minister has said that all means are being used to provide better health facilities to the people of Punjab.

“According to a third party survey, 97pc of the people of Punjab are satisfied with the health card service. We are committed to ensure maternal and child health in Punjab. We are the signatory of the Sustainable Health Strategy. Eleven mother and child hospitals are being built in Punjab to ensure maternal and child health,” the minister said.

The SH&ME Department has administrative authority of 6 medical universities, 11 medical colleges, 44 nursing schools, 49 government teaching hospitals and 16 affiliated hospitals. The Punjab government has given the largest budget to the health department to provide better health facilities to patients. Success of any project is linked to its continuity that is why Imran Khan's government paid premium for three years of health cards. So far, more than 31 lakh people in Punjab have received free health facilities through the health cards. Imran Khan's government managed Corona the best, she said.

The minister added that 48 thousand beds have been increased in the private sector under the health cards in Punjab. Twenty-five BSL labs have been established in a short period of time during Corona. Paperless environment is being introduced in all newly built government hospitals in Punjab. The secretary Management and Professional Development Department has also presented a commemorative shield to the Minister.

Meanwhile, the minister met with UNFPA Country Head Dr Luay Shabani at the SH&ME Department. Special Secretary Operations Shoaib Jadoon, relevant officers and in-charge UNFPA Punjab Shoaib Ahmed were present. The minister and country head UNFPA discussed various health projects, including issues of mutual interest. UNFPA Country Head Dr Luay Shabani praised Sehat Sahulat card facility to the people of Punjab. The minister said, “We are trying to provide better health facilities to the people of Punjab. We want to work on contraceptive commodity security in Punjab with the help of UNFPA. We want to provide family planning services through the collaboration of Government Teaching Hospitals and General Practitioners of Punjab. A workshop will be organised for various stakeholders to ensure the health of the mother and child.”

Family planning project Human Resource Development is being run in the province in collaboration with the World Bank, the minister said and added that eleven mother and child hospitals are being built in Punjab to ensure the health of mother and child.

UNFPA country head Dr Luay Shabani said that in the health sector, “We will fully cooperate with Specialised Healthcare and Medical Education. There is a need to strengthen the Lady Health Workers Programme to make family planning a success in Punjab.”