Improving healthcare system: WB, other bodies to provide $181 million: minister

LAHORE:Punjab Minister for Primary and Secondary Healthcare Dr Jamal Nasir has informed that the World Bank and other international organisations will provide financial assistance of US $181 million for strengthening primary healthcare service delivery system in Punjab over a period of next four years.

He said this after his meeting with a delegation of the World Bank and other international organisations here Thursday. The delegation included delegates from Global Financing Facility, Global Alliance for Vaccination and Immunisation as well as representatives from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The minister said that this assistance would be provided for the National Health Support Programme (NHSP) and will be used for improvement of healthcare system as well as the existing facilities.

The minister revealed that an extensive project for elimination of tuberculosis in Punjab will be launched under the NHSP and sputum samples will be collected by going door to door in rural areas of the province. The patients suffering from TB will be treated on priority basis, he added.

Dr Jamal informed that Punjab had made substantial progress with regard to the immunisation and vaccination of children under two years of age. The Punjab government has now set the target to vaccinate 95 percent of children of this age group under this programme.

The minister said that advanced ambulances equipped with latest life-saving equipment will be purchased for shifting critically ill infants from one city to another for treatment.

Under this programme, electronic medical record system will be implemented in more than 3,000 basic health units and rural health centres across Punjab. The case history and medical records of all patients and their diseases visiting these centres will be computerised for future reference and treatment, revealed the minister. Laboratory test reports of government health centres will also be available online like well reputed private laboratories, he added. The minister informed that additional budget will be provided to health councils to improve the quality of medical facilities in Punjab. Secretary Health Ali Jan Khan, DG Health Dr Ilyas Gondal and other relevant officers also attended the meeting.