Free dialysis, bone marrow transplant at PKLI soon: Yasmin Rashid

LAHORE:Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid has said that free dialysis and bone marrow transplant facility will soon be provided at the Pakistan Kidney and Liver Institute (PKLI).

While chairing the 13th meeting of PKLI’s Board of Governor here on Friday, the health minister said that PKLI had been built with public money and the incumbent government was spending public money on public. She further said she visited PKLI on the directions of Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar to encourage the PKLI team especially Chairperson Prof Dr Javed Raza Gardezi and Dean Prof Dr Faisal Dar for their excellent work.

Dr Yasmin Rashid said that PKLI was moving in the right direction and serving people under leadership of Prime Minister Imran Khan. She added the PKLI had performed 70 liver transplants and 157 kidney transplants within a short span of time. She assured full support from the government for the completion of all projects being undertaken by the PKLI. “We want to see the PKLI emerging as a teaching institution,” she said while adding the institution would produce master trainers from doctors, nurses and paramedical staff and impart international level training. She said latest system of waste management was being introduced.

The minister further said that the PKLI shall serve as a model facility for other institutions of Punjab and added Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar would be invited at PKLI soon. Secretary Specialised Healthcare and Medical Education Nabeel Awan, Prof Dr Javed Raza Gardezi, Prof Dr Faisal Dar and others also attended the meeting.

13 labs, collection centres sealed: Punjab Healthcare Commission (PHC) has sealed 13 illegal labs and lab collection centres, and served notices on 18 others for not fully implementing directions and standard operating procedures.

According to a press release, the Commission is continuing with special inspections of laboratories and collection centres across the province. In Lahore, during the last three days, the PHC teams checked 38 labs and collection centres. Out of these, 13 were sealed since these were either functioning without PHC’s registration or qualified staff, and were conducting PCR Covid-19 test without approval.

Moreover, notices were served on 18 deficient labs and collection centres, which were functioning without memoranda of understanding for the waste disposal, lacking in internal quality assurance and non-availability of a pathologist at the scheduled hours.