2,000 consultant doctors to be recruited soon: minister

FAISALABAD: Punjab Minister for Health Dr Yasmin Rashid has said that the Punjab government has allocated Rs 308 billion funds for health sector in the budget.

She was talking to media after presiding over a syndicate meeting of the Faisalabad Medical University here on Monday. The Punjab minister said that 8.4pc funds had been increased in this budget as compared to the last budget. She told that nine new hospitals would be established in different cities of the province besides upgradation and strengthening the existing government hospitals. She claimed that 2,500 more beds would be added in the capacity of the government hospitals during the next financial year. She said that the government had focused its attention on the development of social sectors and priority would be given to provide ample facilities of medical treatment and education.

She maintained that Rs 2 billion funds had been allocated in the present budget for issuance of the health cards while total 7.2 million health cards would be issued in the 36 districts of Punjab during the next financial year. She told that more than 30 million people would get benefits of medical treatments free of cost. She informed that the Pediatric and Child Health University would be established at the provincial headquarter first time in the history for providing best and state-of-the-art medical treatment to the children.

She said that 2,000 consultant doctors would soon be recruited soon and they would be posted at health institutions at rural areas for providing advanced medical treatment facilities to the public of the remote areas. The minister said that HIV aids patients were being provided best medical facilities and medical examination centers would be established in every district of the Punjab under the Aids Control Programme.

The minister informed that new board of the Punjab Healthcare Commission had been constituted and relevant laws would strictly be enforced for eradication of quackery to overcome the epidemic diseases. Later, the minister unveiled the plaque of laying foundation stone of construction of Shelter Home at the Allied Hospital. A triple-storey shelter home is being constructed with the financial support of local industrialist Muhammad Arshad. A ward for patients would also be added in this building besides providing the facility of night stay for the attendants of the patients came from other cities. The Punjab minister said that the welfare project of shelter home was conceived by Prime Minister Imran Khan for providing refuge to the shelterless and deserving people.

She appreciated the financial support of the philanthropists for the human services and said that Faisalabad always played a leading role in philanthropy.

Earlier, while presiding over a syndicate meeting of the Faisalabad Medical University, the minister asked the members of syndicate to supervise and monitored the affairs of hospitals and monthly report of the visits should be sent with their proposals for better medical service delivery.

She stressed upon maintaining good governance at the hospitals and said that special attention be given for quality cleanliness. Faisalabad Medical University Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Zafar Ali Ch briefed the meeting about the matters relating to the development and advancement of the university.

OKARA: Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid on Monday inaugurated 15-bed Gynaecology Department, three labour rooms, ultrasound and X-ray facilities at the DHQ Hospital.

Speaking on the occasion, the minister said that an Aides Control Centre would be established at the hospital. She lauded the contribution of philanthropists for establishing the Gynaecology Department at the hospital. Deputy Commissioner Maryam Khan briefed the minister about the performance of the district administration for provision of facilities at the hospital.