Minister orders timely completion of uplift projects

LAHORE

Punjab Minister for Specialised Healthcare and Medical Education Khawaja Salman Rafique has directed the health department officers and engineers of Communication and Works to accelerate the pace of work on development projects and make regular monitoring so that the projects could be completed within the stipulated time period.

“The government is spending billions of rupees on the development of health sector and its benefits must be reached the people within the shortest period of time,” he said while presiding over a meeting of Cabinet Committee on Health Reforms at Civil Secretariat, according to a handout issued here Friday.

The meeting discussed the issue of HVAC system of Jinnah Hospital. Kh Salman Rafique directed that the deficiencies of the system must be removed as early as possible and the issue should be resolved on urgent basis. The meeting reviewed the efforts and steps taken for the prevention and treatment of diabetes from the platform of Punjab Diabetic Forum Services Hospital.Kh Salman Rafique observed that diabetes is a serious health problem of the whole country and instead of running pilot projects in few districts it should be enhanced to the whole Punjab.

The meeting was informed that construction work on Sahiwal Medical College is in progress at a cost of Rs895 million, out of which Rs515 million have so far been spent. Moreover, technical survey and other procedures are also underway for installation of HVAC system. Similarly, construction of 500-bed Gujranwala teaching hospital is also continuing and the outpatient department and pathological facilities would be functional in the hospital by 2018. Moreover, 85 percent civil work of Dera Ghazi Khan teaching hospital has been completed and the construction of residential colony for the staff is also on a fast track.

The meeting also reviewed the pace of work on the construction/setting up of 150-bed cardiac unit of Bahawal Victoria Hospital, Bahawalpur. The meeting was informed that installation of chiller in ICU is in progress. It was informed that the construction of building at a cost of Rs1.5 billion have been completed and finishing work is being done while the recruitment of doctors for the unit will also be completed in the month of June.

Moreover, training of cardiac physicians and surgeons would be completed very soon and the outdoor of cardiac unit would be made functional in month of July. Kh Salman Rafique directed that outdoor as well as indoor of the cardiac unit BVH should be made functional within the shortest period of time to ensure provision of treatment facilities for cardiac patients at local level.