Dr Yasmin Rashid reviews progress on health facilities revamp

LAHORE:Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid reviewed progress on revamping of health facilities under the Prime Minister’s Health Initiative and the upgradation of the Basic Health Units (BHUs) at the Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department here Monday.

The minister said that work on revamping of infrastructure and the upgradation of 222 basic health units had already started and the government aimed to upgrade 2,504 BHUs of Punjab to round-the-clock model. Revamping will be completed in all the BHUs of Punjab. In the next phase, 2,282 BHUs will be revamped. After that, services and facilities will be available at these BHUs for 24 hours, she added.

Prime Minister Imran Khan envisions the provision of basic healthcare facilities at the doorstep of every Pakistani. Facilitating the people is the foremost priority of the government, she said adding the government had filled all vacant positions of doctors, nurses and support staff at the BHUs. Adequate stock of essential medicines is available at the BHUs. The round-the-clock services are being provided in over 1,000 BHUs of Punjab, she said. Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department Secretary Capt (r) Usman Younis, Additional Secretary Development Dr Omar Farooq, Dr Zulfiqar, Prof Javed Chaudhry and senior officials of the department attended the meeting.

PPE distributed: Pakistan Red Crescent Society (PRCS) Punjab distributed Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), including KN95 mask, surgical mask, OT gowns, PPE suit, thermal guns, face shield, virocid, sanitizer, etc., for frontline health workers, including doctors and paramedics in Service Hospital, Lahore. According to a press release issued here Monday, the PRCS representatives handed over PPE to Medical Superintendent Dr Iftikhar.