‘Historic steps being taken in health sector’

LAHORE:Provincial Minister for Health Khawaja Salman Rafique said that historic and fundamental steps are being taken in the health sector under the leadership of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz. So far, more than 3,900 children have undergone heart surgeries under the Chief Minister’s Children’s Heart Surgery Programme.

Children’s heart surgeries are being performed in six government and 11 private hospitals in Punjab. The provincial health minister shared this information while addressing the 95th meeting of the Board of Directors at the Punjab Health Initiative Management Company (PHIMC) on Thursday.

Various agendas of PHIMC were presented during the meeting. The minutes of the 94th meeting of the Board of Directors of the Punjab Health Initiative Management Company were approved during the meeting.

During the meeting, a detailed review of the Chief Minister’s Children’s Heart Surgery Programme, Dialysis Programme and Special Initiative for Transplant Programme was taken. PHIMC CEO Dr Ali Razaq gave a detailed briefing in this regard.

Addressing the meeting, Provincial Health Minister Khawaja Salman Rafique said that so far, more than 2.5 lakhs dialysis procedures have been performed under the Chief Minister’s Special Initiative for Dialysis Programme. Under the Chief Minister’s Special Initiative for Transplant Programme, free kidney/renal, liver, bone marrow, corneal and cochlear transplant facilities are being provided to patients.

Khawaja Salman said that under the Chief Minister's Special Initiative for Transplant Programme, 14 private and four government hospitals have been selected for renal transplant, two private and two government hospitals for liver transplant, two for bone marrow transplant and five for cochlear transplant. Under the three unique health programmes, free treatment worth billions of rupees have been provided to patients so far. He said that 100 percent transparency is being ensured in the three programmes.

The Punjab government has launched the three programmes specifically for the convenience of patients who cannot afford the cost of treatment. Every plan has been launched to heal the wounds of the suffering humanity.

Khawaja Salman directed that maximum facilities should be provided to patients in the hospitals. The problems faced by patients in the hospitals should be resolved on priority basis. According to the vision of Punjab CM, improvements are also being made in the health insurance model. Secretary Specialised Healthcare and Medical Education Department Azmat Mahmood Khan, Dr Adnan Khan and Member Health P&D Shafaat Ali participated in the meeting through video link while PHIMC CEO Dr Ali Razaq, Punjab Healthcare Commission CEO Dr Saqib Aziz, Dr Zahid Pervez, Perveen Agha, PITB Director Nousheen Fayyaz, Additional Secretary Finance Bilal Ahmed and others attended the meeting in person.

Meanwhile, a meeting was held in the Specialised Healthcare and Medical Education Department under the chairmanship of Provincial Health Minister Khawaja Salman Rafique. The meeting was attended by Additional Secretary Development Dr Waheed Asghar, Chief Planning Officer Abdul Haq Bhatti and Director Budget and Accounts Hammad Al-Rabb. Principal Sahiwal Medical College Professor Imran Hassan, MS Sardar Begum Teaching Hospital Sialkot and related XENs Buildings participated through video link.

During the meeting, the process of purchasing medical equipment at Sahiwal Institute of Cardiology and the ongoing revamping project at Sardar Begum Teaching Hospital Sialkot were reviewed. The officers concerned gave a briefing on the occasion.

Khawaja Salman said that the process of purchasing medical equipment for Sahiwal Institute of Cardiology should be expedited and the revamping project at Sardar Begum Teaching Hospital Sialkot should be completed on time.