Round-the-clock services provided at 300 BHUs: minister

LAHORE: Punjab Minister for Primary and Secondary Healthcare Dr Jamal Nasir said that round-the-clock medical services have been provided at more than 300 basic health units (BHUs) situated in remote areas of the province for treatment of general public. The minister said this while chairing a review meeting of the department on Wednesday.

The minister informed that additional doctors and paramedics have been posted at these BHUs for keeping these medical centres functional 24 hours a day throughout the week. The caretaker government has also provided 300 ultrasound machines at these BHUs, he added.

Dr Jamal informed that in addition to the normal BHU functions, 24/7 BHUs have been designed to facilitate basic emergency, obstetrics & newborn care (EMONC), antenatal and postnatal care, family planning services, immunisation (BCG, OPV, Hep B, DPT, Measles, TT), laboratory services, ultrasound services, 24 hours ambulance services and mother & child healthcare counselling.

He said that as a result of this initiative, people in the backward areas will have access to quality health services. The provision of quality treatment facilities at BHUs will reduce the load of patients on hospitals in big cities, he added.

The minister further said that the government has decided to start post-graduation for doctors at district headquarters hospitals of the less developed districts. Arrangements were being made for starting specialisation of doctors at the district headquarter hospitals at Attock, Bhakkar, Mandi Bahauddin and Jhang, he revealed. For this purpose, an MoU has been signed with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Pakistan, he added.