CM Punjab reviews the measures regarding public health

Lahore: Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif has said that provision of modern treatment facilities to the masses is the responsibility of the government and Punjab government is spending billions of rupees for extending quality healthcare to the citizens as it is their right. He said that government has devised a comprehensive programme to active rural and basic health centers and health facilities would be improved in ten districts of the province in the first phase of this programme while maximum participation of private sector would be ensured.

He was addressing a high level meeting here today which reviewed in detail the measures regarding public health especially improvement of mother and child health and primary healthcare.

A prominent Bangladeshi doctor Zafarullah Chaudhary gave a briefing on improvement of mother and childcare and primary healthcare and informed about the pilot project started in Nankana Sahib in this regard.

Addressing the meeting, the Chief Minister said that Punjab government is taking measures on priority basis for the development of health sector and provision of modern health facilities to the masses and billions of rupees are being utilized for improvement of public health facilities. He said that service to ailing humanity is a form of worship and in view of this fact, provincial government is taking all necessary measures for the provision of quality treatment facilities to the masses. He said that steps are being taken to ensure minimum standard of service delivery in public and private sector hospitals and an effective monitoring system has also been evolved for this purpose.

Shahbaz Sharif said that a comprehensive programme has been evolved for the provision of quality healthcare facilities to the masses and in the first phase of this programme, public health facilities will be improved in ten districts of the province while maximum participation of private sector will be ensured for this purpose. He said that decision to include private sector in the programme of provision of modern treatment facilities to the patients in ten districts of Punjab is of vital importance.

He said that implementation of this programme will not only result in betterment of treatment facilities in rural and basic health centers but also in THQ and DHQ hospitals and will ensure access of patients to medical facilities of a high standard. He said that a pilot project has been started in district Nankana Sahib with regard to improvement of mother and childcare and primary healthcare and under this project, in addition to improvement of treatment facilities in rural and basic health centers, attendance of doctors and paramedical staff as well as availability of medicines will also be ensured.

The Chief Minister said that the scope of the pilot project started in Nankana Sahib will be extended to other districts under a phased programme so that maximum number of patients could benefit from quality health facilities. He said that special attention is being paid to the improvement of medical facilities in rural areas.

Prominent Bangladeshi doctor Zafarullah Chaudhary while appreciating the measures taken by Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif for the improvement of health sector especially primary healthcare commended his vision for the uplift of public health facilities.  He said that Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif is working for the development of health sector with determination and his efforts in this regard will yield positive results. Provincial Minister Begum Zakiya Shahnawaz, Chief Secretary, Secretary Health, Director General Health Punjab, District Coordination Officer Nankana Sahib and concerned officers attended the meeting.