158 clinics of quacks sealed

LAHORE: The Punjab Healthcare Commission has closed 158 businesses of quacks in different districts of the province during the last two days.

According to a press release issued here on Thursday, the PHC teams visited 441 treatment centres and closed 158 outlets, which were being run by quacks. Out of the total centres, 127 quacks have quit quackery and started other businesses.

The action was taken in different parts of 11 districts, which included Toba Tek Singh, Bahawalnagar, Pakpattan, Kasur, Sheikhupura, Dera Ghazi Khan, Vehari, Rawalpindi, Sargodha, Gujranwala and Lahore. The PHC teams were accompanied by officials of the district administration and police.

donation: Long Dingbin, China’s Consul General in Lahore, paid a visit to Pakistan Kidney and Liver Institute (PKLI) and Research Centre where he met hospital’s president and CEO Prof Dr Saeed Akhter and other management team members on Thursday.

According to a press release issued here, the consul general was accompanied by other officials from the Chinese consulate. The guests were warmly welcomed by the hospital management and were given a detailed tour of the hospital premises. They were glad to know that PKLI is focused on reducing the burden of kidney and liver diseases, including eliminating Hepatitis, from Pakistan by raising awareness about preventive measures in addition to providing free or subsidised treatment facilities to the poor without any discrimination. The visitors expressed that PKLI is an excellent project that would definitely raise the standard of healthcare delivery in Pakistan.

During the meeting, both sides discussed matters of mutual interest and explored avenues of collaborations. Dingbin said the consulate will provide scholarships to help PKLI in training of staff, including nursing and paramedics.

The consulate donated $50,000 to the hospital as a goodwill gesture by the People's Republic of China. Prof Dr Saeed Akhter thanked them for the visit and for their resolve to support the noble cause.

Dr Saeed mentioned that there is heavy prevalence of Hepatitis in Pakistan and China so both sides should join hands to eliminate this deadly diseases through collaboration in cutting-edge research and sharing of modern technology. The CEO briefed the delegation of Chinese Consulate that the Punjab government will provide full financial support to the hospital to operate 500 beds for the first three years. Afterwards, the government will give 25pc recurrent budget and the hospital will generate 75pc of the budget each year through various activities including diagnostic services, donations, Zakat, patient care, hotel, shopping mall etc.

Dr Jehangir Abbas, Associate Medical Director, Dr Muhammad Mubeen, Associate Medical Director, Dr Hafiz Ijaz Ahmad, Director Medical Education, Dr Masooma Saeed, Consultant Anesthesia, were present. Some of PKLI’s foreign qualified and experienced consultants were also part of the meeting with the visitors.

Altamash Pervaiz, Head of PKLI’s Marketing Department, accompanied the guest for a tree plantation at the hospital. This tree planting was done as part of PKLI’s “Tree Plantation Drive.”