‘Clinics on Wheels’ being launched in Punjab

LAHORE: Provincial Health Minister Khawaja Salman Rafique said that revamping projects in government hospitals are being completed on priority basis and the project of ‘Clinics on Wheels’ is being started for the people of Punjab in near future. He expressed these views while addressing the CEOs and MS conference at a local hotel here on Monday.

Health Secretary Ali Jan Khan, Special Secretaries M Iqbal and M Ahmed, Additional Secretaries Rashid Irshad, Khizar Afzal and Dr Younis, DG Health Services Dr Ilyas Gondal, DG Drugs Dr. Sohail, Dr Asim Altaf, Dr Yadullah, Director EPI Dr Mukhtar Awan, Deputy Secretaries and CEOs of all districts and MS participated. Secretary Health highlighted the priorities of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz regarding the health sector on this occasion.

Khawaja Salman Rafique said that Punjab Chief Minister is paying special attention in the health sector. As per her directions, strict action has been started across Punjab against the quacks, who are the real enemies of humanity. MS of government hospitals should have leadership skills and illegal blood banks are going to be closed in Punjab, he added.

Secretary Health said that we are trying our best to improve the health system. The shortage of medicines in government hospitals will be removed. In Punjab, a project has been started to provide medicines to heart, TB and hepatitis patients at their homes. The purpose of frequent visits to government hospitals is to assess the situation.

Posting of CEO, MS to be on merit, performance: minister

Chief executive officers health and medical superintendents conference was held on Monday under the chairmanship of Health Ministers Kh Imran Nazir and Kh Salman Rafiq.

During the conference, the priorities of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz regarding the health sector were highlighted. Health Minister Kh Imran Nazir in his address said that there is a need to seriously implement the health programmes of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz. He said that the availability of medicines in all government hospitals, the supply system is being fully tracked.

If there is a report of less than 90pc of the target in providing free medicines to patients in a hospital, the MS, CEO should be changed immediately. The era of posting of CEO and MS through kickbacks is over, he said and added that posting will be done through performance and merit. Doctors should continue to perform duties responsibly, do not take any pressure, we are with you, he added.

The provincial health minister said that medicines worth Rs12 billion have reached the district health authorities in our hospitals. An MS should be trained before posting in the process of purchasing medicine, he said. He directed the MSs that the waste and garbage lying in the hospitals should be removed immediately and the cleaning arrangements should be improved. Khawaja Imran Nazir congratulated MS and CEO Lodhran for achieving more than 90pc of the target of providing medicines to the patients in District Hospital Lodhran. He said that the Clinics on Wales programme will be started this week.

In the conference, Special Secretaries M Iqbal and M Ahmed, Additional Secretaries Rashid Irshad, Khizr Afzal and Dr Younis, DG Health Services Dr. Ilyas Gondal, D. G-Drugs Dr. Sohail, Dr. Asim Altaf, Dr. Yadullah, Director EPI Dr. Mukhtar Awan, Deputy Secretaries and CEOs and MS of all districts participated.

On this occasion Khawaja Salman Rafiq said that CM Punjab is paying special attention to the health sector. He said that crackdown against quackery has been started across Punjab. The provincial health minister said that illegal blood banks are going to be closed in Punjab. The revamping project in government hospitals is being completed on a priority basis.

On this occasion, Punjab Health Secretary Ali Jan Khan said that the shortage of medicines in government hospitals will be unbearable. Ali Jan Khan said that the plan to provide medicines to heart, TB and hepatitis patients in Punjab has started. He said that the purpose of visiting government hospitals repeatedly is to review the situation.

He said that an alert has been issued after the first case of Congolese came to light in Attock. The next six to eight weeks are critical with regard to the Congo virus. Later, Health Minister Khawaja Imran Nazir attended UK International AIDS' DAFPAK project function as a chief guest at a local hotel. DAFPAK Project was handed over to IRMNCH, the health department and Welfare Department.

In the ceremony Director General Population Welfare Suman Rai, Project Director IRMNCH Dr Khalil Sakhani and representatives of Deaf Pak signed the documents.

Khawaja Imran Nazir said in his address at the ceremony that an effective planning is needed to stop the increase in population. The increasing country's population is consuming our resources rapidly, he lamented. Awareness campaigns should be conducted for the public regarding maternal and child health, nutritional needs.

He said that to maintain the balance in the population, there will be a change in social attitudes. Khawaja Imran Nazir said that forming a multi-task force to deal with issues like population growth is the need of the hour. The taskforce should have powers to implement its recommendations. The health minister said that the population welfare and health departments should work together to create a successful strategy for achieving desired results of family planning.

Khawaja Imran Nazir said that family planning should be made a part of the curriculum. By maintaining balance in the population, the country's direction can be taken forward in the right way. DG Population Welfare Suman Rai, Consultant Dr. Akhtar Rashid, PDIR MNCH Dr Khalil Sakhani also addressed the ceremony and threw light on the importance of handover plan. At the end of the ceremony, an honorary shield was presented to Khawaja Imran Nazir.