CM approves health reforms

LAHORE
CHIEF Minister Shahbaz Sharif has given approval to various measures for the development of health sector.
Presiding over a high-level meeting here Friday, the chief minister said provision of modern and quality treatment facilities to the citizens was priority of the government as health was directly linked to education, progress and prosperity of the country. There is a need to pay maximum attention to the provision of quality health services to the masses and keeping in view this fact measures will be taken for introducing revolutionary reforms in the health sector.
He said health authorities should fix targets of improvement in public health facilities and devote all their energies for their achievement. Reforms in healthcare system are the need of the hour and besides collective efforts and hard work, a team spirit is also required for this purpose.
The chief minister approved up-gradation of nursing schools and giving them status of nursing colleges and announced that four centre-of-excellence nursing colleges would be set up in Punjab. He also gave approval to the pilot project of setting up district health authorities in four districts of the province.
The meeting also decided to change the non-functional boards of management of autonomous medical institutions. He said there was no need for non-functional boards of management and active and well-reputed persons should be included in the boards. The meeting also approved up-gradation of emergency wards of district and tehsil hospitals of the province under a phased programme and to allocate separate pediatric wards.
The chief minister directed that an effective monitoring system should be evolved for the purchase and distribution of medicines and ensuring their standard. A comprehensive mechanism of accountability should be introduced in health department at every level. He said that information technology should be utilised for evolving a digital system for the purpose of monitoring. He directed that a programme should be chalked out for the training of doctors, nurses and paramedical staff in a professional manner. He directed that planning should be made for giving special incentives to the doctors, nurses and paramedical staff serving efficiently in remote areas of the province and comprehensive recommendations be evolved for this purpose. He said that planning should be made for keeping equipment at hospital functional and a plan be made for setting up bio-medical engineering workshop for the repair of out of order machinery at hospitals. He directed that incinerators be installed throughout the province for the disposal of hospital waste and this system should be out-sourced. He said the role of lady health workers was of vital importance in the provision of health facilities and a comprehensive programme be evolved in this regard. He said the ratio of doctors and nurses in hospitals should be in proportion to the patients and biometric system should be introduced for ensuring attendance in hospitals.
He said the all-out resources would be made available for the improvement of facilities in health sector. The chief minister said he would hold meetings on fortnightly basis to review the progress of reforms programme in this sector. He said revolutionary reforms were being initiated with a new determination for the improvement of health facilities and it was hoped that due to collective efforts, relief would be provided to the people in the real sense and the dream of a healthy province would be realised.