Yasmin inaugurates Neonatalogy Unit at Mayo Hospital

LAHORE:Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid inaugurated the Neo Natalogy Unit at Mayo Hospital here on Friday.

Vice-Chancellor Prof Khalid Masood Gondal, Prof Saqib Saeed, MS Mayo Hospital Prof Dr M Iftikhar, Dr Mampal Singh and faculty members were present on the occasion. MS Mayo Hospital Dr Iftikhar shared details of the facilities being given at the Unit which has been established at a cost of Rs 10 million. Responding to queries of media, Dr Yasmin Rashid said that Mayo Hospital had been given Rs 9 billion budget this year. “Punjab healthcare Commission has been directed to ensure Rs 90 as dengue test fee in private labs. The summary on hiring of new MS has been sent to the Chief Minister office”.

To a question, the Minister said that 450,000 people have been vaccinated in the last 24 hours. She said over 70% of 40 plus population have been vaccinated and the Reach Every Door (RED) Programme was being launched from Monday under which another 20 million people will be vaccinated. She urged people to make maximum use of this RED facility.

Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid said: “We are signatory to Sustainable Development Goals and two of the key SDG targets are to reduce Maternal Mortality and Infant Mortality Rate. These two indicators require a lot of improvement as we are ranked below our neighbours. Seven Mother and Child Hospitals are being set up in Punjab. The 650-bedded Ganga Ram Mother and Child hospital shall be completed by May 2022. Other hospitals are being established at Mianwali, Attock, Rajanpur, Multan, Layyah and Bahawalnagar.”

Dr Yasmin Rashid said over 40% of beds reserved for dengue were unoccupied and she herself along with secretaries were visiting different units. The Minister added that 280-bedded facility at Expo Centre was provided as Dengue Field Hospital.

Meanwhile Dr Yasmin Rashid inaugurated an infection control app at Lahore General Hospital here on Friday. Ameeruddin Medical College Principal Professor Dr Sardar Al-Fareed, Lahore General Hospital Medical Superintendent Dr Riaz Hafeez, Prof Dr Muhammad Moin, Prof Dr Farooq Afzal, Dr Irfan and other faculty members were also present. Professor Dr Moin and Dr Amna informed the health minister about the features of the app and its utility. The health minister also visited male and female dengue wards at LGH. She inquired from patients about the services being provided to them. She said, “I congratulate the administration of General Hospital for designing the infection control application. The staff of General Hospital continued to serve the patients during all four waves of the corona pandemic despite many doctors getting infected. I greatly appreciate the doctors, nurses and paramedical staff of Lahore General Hospital for serving people. We need more innovations and IT-based solution in this age of epidemics.”

The minister said LGH was the first hospital to introduce an app of infection control. The staff will be trained on use of the app which has been developed in English and Urdu. All the developed countries use such things for infection control. Health and recovery of every patient is the foremost priority in government hospitals. The app would be used in all hospitals of Punjab, the minister said. “We are striving to ensure patient safety as per the guidelines of the World Health Organization,” she added.

Punjab government has made a record number of hiring and promotions of doctors. The government is taking good care of dengue patients in public sector hospitals. Dengue and corona situation is being monitored countrywide and worldwide, she said.