No scarcity of funds in province, says Dr Yasmin Rashid

LAHORE:Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid directed the officials concerned to expedite the pace of work at Mother and Child Hospitals and other development projects.

Addressing a meeting at the Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department here Tuesday, she said despite corona restrictions Punjab was continuously improving healthcare services. She cleared that there was no scarcity of funds in the province.

The health minister reviewed the pace and progress of construction work of Mother and Child Hospitals, upgradation of BHUs to round-the-clock model and various other projects in the province. Addressing the meeting, she said that under the Prime Minister Health Initiative, revamping of health facilities was underway in eight districts of the province. She said that all development projects needed to be completed within deadline with transparency.

The up-gradation of the hospitals in Attock, DG Khan, Jhang, Kasur, Mianwali, Rajanpur, Lodhran and Chiniot was underway, she said and added that provision of basic health services was the responsibility of the state. She said that improving capacity of the system was very helpful in combating corona pandemic in Punjab. “Despite restrictions of corona pandemic, Punjab is improving healthcare services, she said. She cleared there was no scarcity of funds in the province. “We are making the all-out effort to complete health facilities across the province,” she said.

The minister asked the Secretary Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department Sarah Aslam to personally supervise all the development projects. Additional Secretary Development Omar Farooq, Additional Secretary Technical Dr Asim Altaf and other officials were present in the meeting.

Meanwhile, the Punjab government is all set to start the next round of coronavirus vaccination for people of 50-59 years of age group from Wednesday (today). In a statement issued here on Tuesday, Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid asked the Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department (P&SHD) to make arrangements to make the next round of the vaccination successful. She urged citizens to get themselves registered at 1166 and secure their pin code for vaccination.

"People of 50 to 59 years of age may now visit the vaccination centers with valid pin code and message," she added.