Ambulance service to be expanded

LAHORE: Punjab Minister for Primary & Secondary Health Kh Imran Nazir has said according to the vision of Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, the government is making efforts to provide best healthcare facilities to people for which Primary & Secondary Health Department would enhance the scope of ambulance service to the level of rural health centres.

He said this while talking to Dr Rizwan Naseer, Director General, Punjab Emergency Service Rescue 1122, who called on him in the office of P&S Health Department, according to a handout issued on Tuesday. Secretary Primary & Secondary Health Ali Jan Khan and other senior officers of the department were present in the meeting. Dr Rizwan Naseer visited various wings of the department and appreciated the new initiatives taken for the improvement of the working of the department.

Dr Rizwan Naseer said both the departments are making efforts to provide maximum relief to people of the province. Kh Imran Nazir said Primary & Secondary Health Department would establish counters for Rescue 1122 ambulance service at Tehsil Headquarters Hospital. Kh Imran Nazir said four ambulances at DHQ and two ambulances at every THQ hospitals would be available and one ambulance would be provided at each RHC to facilitate the patients. He said four wheel vehicles would be provided for Cholistan area.

dengue: On the directions of Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, Minister for Specialized Healthcare & Medical Education Khawaja Salman Rafique and Minister for Primary Health Khawaja Imran Nazir would reach Rawalpindi on Wednesday (today) to hold meetings with Chief Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner Islamabad and other officers to ensure coordinated efforts to control dengue in Islamabad and improve dengue larva reporting and patients geo-tagging mechanism. Joint strategy would be evolved to overcome dengue in Rawalpindi and Islamabad areas. 

It was informed in the meeting of cabinet committee on dengue chaired by Punjab Minister for Specialized Healthcare Khawaja Salman Rafique at Committee Room Civil Secretariat on Tuesday, according to a handout. Additional Director General Dengue Control Dr Farrukh Sultan gave briefing regarding the dengue situation in the province. He informed the meeting that geo-tagging of dengue larva and the patients on PITB dashboard is not being properly carried out from Islamabad and there was a need for vigorous dengue surveillance activities to overcome the dengue in Islamabad and Rawalpindi. Both the ministers would discuss the reporting system of dengue patients from hospitals of Islamabad and the role of Capital Development Authority in dengue control activities.

Kh Imran Nazir directed the local government departments to enhance their dengue related activities with the cooperation of elected local bodies’ representatives. He said chairmen of union councils and lord mayors would also be taken on board. Kh Salman Rafique revealed that the activities of various departments are a bit slow. He directed the departments concerned to enhance their anti-dengue activities as slight negligence could upset the situation. Kh Salman Rafique took notice of redressing complaints and sore points reported by special branch.

The minister directed that displeasure letters be sent to the departments concerned in this regard.