‘Health, education govt priority’

LAHORE
Provincial Minister for Excise & Taxation Mujtaba Shuja-ur-Rehman has said that the present coalition regime has given highest priority to health and education and the provincial health and education budget has been remarkably increased and additional resources have been provided to accelerate the efforts for prompt achievement of Millennium Development Goal (MDGs).
He said that 95 percent of discretionary funds were being used for the treatment of under-privileged people as well as for grant in aid to the poor people. He said a sum of Rs310.20 billion had been allocated for education which was 27 percent of total expenditures whereas the budget allocated for health was Rs166.13 billon which was 14 percent of total expenditures of the government.
He said that four new Danish schools would be set up in less-developed areas for the provision of modern education to the talented students of these areas. He said that 990 high schools would be equipped with computer labs, missing facilities would be provided in 7,500 schools and 500 new schools would be opened during current fiscal year.
Talking to a delegation of party workers at his residence, Mujtaba Shuja-ur-Rehman said the government had provided Rs1.41 billion incentive package to the specialist doctors so that to ensure the posting of specialist doctors at tehsil headquarters hospitals.
He said that 700 basic health units had been converted into modern health centres and 24 hours healthcare facilities were being provided at these centres.
He said that skilled birth attendants, LHVs and LHWs were being appointed at health centres. He said that at present under-five mortality rate was 94/1000 and it would be reduced 45 till 2015 (MDGs target), new-born mortality rate is 54/1000 and it would be reduced up to 25 by year 2015, whereas, infant mortality rate is 77/1000 which would be reduced 40 by 2015.