More incentives for anesthetists in Punjab DHQ, THQ hospitals

LAHORE: Primary and Secondary Health Secretary Ali Jan has said a visible improvement has been made in the working of district and tehsil headquarters’ hospitals during the last one year. However, a lot of improvement is still needed for which medical superintendents and staff have to execute their duties with professional dedication and hard working.

He said the last year non-salary budget of these hospitals was Rs6 billion, which has been enhanced up to Rs12 billion. Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif is providing funds for health sector development open-heartedly, he added.

He said this while addressing a monthly conference of medical superintendents of all the district and tehsil headquarters’ hospitals at a local hotel on Sunday, according to a handout. Besides, Special Secretary Health Dr Faisal Zahoor, Provincial Director IRMNCH Programme Dr Mukhtar Husssain Syed, Additional Secretaries of the department, PMU team, Deputy Secretary Dr Yaddullah and other officers concerned attended the meeting.

The meeting reviewed the progress on the implementation on revamping plan of 40 hospitals. It was decided that more incentives to be given to the anesthetists to overcome the shortage of anesthesia doctors in DHQ/THQ hospitals. The meeting reviewed the progress in the up-gradation of emergency departments of the hospitals, operationalisation of hepatitis filter clinics and capacity building and training of human resource.

Secretary Health Ali Jan said Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has provided huge funds for the health sector development. He said the budget of primary & secondary health in December 2015 was Rs52 billion, which has increased now up to Rs112 billion.

He said an additional amount of 4.5 billion rupees has been allocated for purchase of medicines and high quality medicines from multinational as well as national repute companies are being procured for the patients. The secretary said no compromise would be made on minimum service delivery standards (MSDS) in hospitals.

It was decided to outsource the pathological laboratories of Attock, Jhelum and Chakwal hospitals. Ali Jan Khan said hospitals are being equipped with the latest diagnostic and other treatment facilities and the officers and the staff has to work with more dedication to bring up the health sector according to the vision of the Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif.