Shahbaz approves setting up of Punjab Public Health Agency

LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif approved setting up of the Punjab Public Health Agency and  recommendations for its organisational structure and other affairs.

Presiding over a meeting which reviewed development of the health sector, reforms in 40 hospitals of the province and installation of incinerators for hospital waste management, he said that affairs of Punjab Public Health Agency would be entrusted with Primary and Secondary Health Department and the role of the institution was of paramount importance in connection with improvement of the healthcare system. “Therefore, all matters regarding establishment of the institution should be settled at the earliest as Punjab Public Health Agency has to be made a useful, purposeful and result-oriented institution,” he added. He said that setting up of an effective mechanism, purposeful and active institution to lessen the burden of diseases was the need of the hour.

The chief minister directed authorities concerned to bring capable, high standard and professional workforce in the institution. He said that Institute of Public Health had failed to achieve its objectives and targets and it could not discharge basic responsibilities like surveillance and response of diseases, research and data compiling. “Therefore, reforms in Institute of Public Health are the need of the hour. Work of installation of incinerators for hospital waste management in government hospitals should be forwarded speedily.

The system of outsourcing janitorial, security, parking and other services will change the condition of the hospitals and the condition of hospitals is being improved through outsourcing the services, therefore, the process of outsourcing janitorial and other services should be completed rapidly and a third-party validation also be conducted in this regard,” he added. 

He said the process of reforms successfully continued in 40 DHQ hospitals and added that improving medical facilities in the hospitals was his mission which would be fulfilled at all costs.