Transparency in financial matters being ensured: minister

LAHORE:Punjab Health Minister Khawaja Salman Rafique has said the conditions of government hospitals are gradually improving under the leadership of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz.

Speaking at a meeting, the minister said, ‘Work is under way at a rapid pace on revamping projects in government hospitals. One hundred percent transparency in financial matters in government hospitals is being ensured. The Punjab government is taking basic steps to improve the health system. All types of contracts of government hospitals will now be approved through e-tendering only. According to the vision of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, efforts are being made to provide the best health facilities to the people.

‘The Punjab government is taking basic steps to provide the best health facilities to the people in remote areas. Efforts are being made to ensure that patients in government hospitals do not face any kind of difficulty.’ Health Minister Khawaja Salman Rafique reviewed the transparency in financial matters and other revamping projects in government hospitals in detail. The authorities concerned also briefed the minister.

AFPGMI delegation briefed on PHC’s achievements

A 36-member delegation of the Armed Forces Post-Graduate Medical Institute (AFPGMI) visited Punjab Healthcare Commission (PHC) here on Wednesday. The delegation, comprising faculty members and officers of the 44th MSc Medical Administration Course, was led by Commandant AFPGMI Maj Gen Syed Adil Husnain.

During the visit, the delegation was given a briefing regarding the pioneering regulatory initiatives and achievements of the Punjab Healthcare Commission (PHC). Maj Gen Adil Husnain praised PHC’s achievements, noting that the Commission’s work in standardising healthcare delivery had set a benchmark for institutional excellence. PHC Chief Executive Officer Dr M Saqib Aziz outlined the Commission’s mandate, jurisdiction, regulatory functions and processes, and transformative impact since its inception. He underlined the need for mutual learning, sharing of knowledge and experience in the fields of clinical governance, quality assurance, working assessment of the health managers and practitioners, and capacity-building in the healthcare service delivery, including regular training sessions, research and development.

Emphasising PHC’s role as Punjab’s first regulatory body for healthcare establishments, Dr Aziz highlighted its success in institutionalising standardised frameworks which were not existed in the past. “Our mission is to ensure equitable access to safe, quality healthcare for all through robust clinical governance’’.