Cabinet approves largest repair package for hospitals

LAHORE:The Punjab caretaker cabinet, which met under the chair of Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi, has approved signing an MoU between the Pakistan Western Canada Trade Association (PWCTA) and the provincial government to send young people to Canada for employment opportunities.

The 35th cabinet meeting held Thursday also approved the largest package for the repair and maintenance of hospitals and additional funds were allocated for the upgradation and expansion of hospitals covering over six lakh square feet, including the installation of state-of-the-art modular operation theatres and 15,000 new beds.

The CM directed ministers and secretaries to monitor the completion of hospital upgrade projects. The cabinet approved the expansion of the CML project endorsing an MoU with Novartis for giving Afinitor and Jakavi medicines free-of-cost to cancer patients.

Release of funds for the desilting of 231 canals was also approved. For the first time in Punjab, after the creation of Pakistan, enforcement of marriage and divorce laws for the Christian community and the Punjab Christian Marriage Rules, 2023, were consented. The cabinet endorsed the request to allocate wheat for KP and Balochistan and the first Punjab cloud policy. The chief secretary will establish a cloud board, eliminating the need for future data centres.

Release of funds was approved for the provision of free textbooks for the educational year 2024-25, NOC for a new Chinese consulate in the diplomatic enclave at CBD Punjab and allotment of lands for the SOS Children's Village, children home, youth home and schools in Rahim Yar Khan.

The enforcement of the Dastak programme was agreed to provide services to people in their homes in Lahore along with expansion in an agreement between NADRA and the provincial home department.

The meeting approved the inclusion of the biogas project in Gujjar Colony in the ADP 2023-24 and the release of funds for its implementation.

Amendments to sections 21 and 22 of the Punjab Government Servants (Conduct) Rules, 1966 were also endorsed, concerning the use of social media. Issuance of notification under Sections 7, 13 and 3 of the Punjab Animal Health Act, nominations for the Punjab Halal Development Agency & PAMCO's BOD, and the inclusion of private members in the BOD of Punjab Industrial Estates Development and Management Company were approved as well.

While nominating two technical board members for RUDA, the meeting endorsed proposed amendments to the trilateral agreement between RUDA, BoR and the forest department.

The cabinet also approved that Housing Minister Azfar Ali Nasir will be the chairman of all development authorities in the province.

The meeting approved setting up service areas from GT Road to Wahndo on the Lahore-Sialkot motorway and the transfer of land to the Punjab Ring Road Authority for collecting toll tax. The nomination of members and release of funds for the artiste endowment fund was approved along with confirmation of the 14th and 15th meetings of the cabinet standing committee on finance and development and the 12th meeting of the cabinet standing committee on legislation and privatisation.

Rs25bn allocated for KEMU, seven affiliated hospitals

The chief minister while extending congratulations to students receiving laptops at KEMU, emphasised that the government allocates laptops solely based on merit.

He announced a substantial financial commitment, with around Rs9 billion earmarked for the university and hospital compound in the coming days. Additionally, an allocation of Rs25 billion was dedicated to the KEMU and its seven affiliated hospitals.

CM visits Children’s Hospital, inquires after children suffering from pneumonia

The chief minister reached Children’s Hospital and inquired after the under-treatment children. He directed the duty doctors to specially look after the children suffering from Pneumonia along with providing them best treatment facilities.

He informed that the classes from play group, prep and nursery were closed till 19th January so as to prevent the children from catching Pneumonia disease. A ban has been imposed on the morning assembly in the schools till 31st January.

Inspects Jinnah Hospital upgrade work

The CM visited Jinnah Hospital and reviewed progress being made on the upgradation work. He expressed his indignation over sluggishness being shown in the upgradation work and deploying less labour force.

He directed special secretary health to visit the hospital at night in order to take stock of the whole situation. Taking a prompt notice on the complaint of an attendant of a patient for getting the medicines outside the hospital, the CM directed secretary health to probe the matter.