Shahbaz Sharif approves the demands of YDA

Lahore: Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif has said that there is no shortage of resources for service to the ailing humanity and welfare of the masses. The real issue is lack of honesty, hard work and determination, he added. He said that the country has become poor through loot, plunder, and dishonesty. He said that condition of the society could be improved if all the resources are spent on the masses in the real sense.

It is need of the hour to forget the past and move forward with honesty and courage, he added. He said that earlier all out resources have been provided for the betterment of medical sector and will be made available in future as well but persons associated with medical sector, politicians and bureaucracy will have perform duties jointly. The doctors will also have to play their due role in the real sense, as service to ailing humanity is our national and religious obligation.

He said that if we will become united to serve the ailing humanity then no issue will remain unresolved. He said that services of doctors regarding ailing humanity are appreciable who have always took part in every time of difficulty including flood, earthquake or any other natural calamity. He said that it is our collective responsibility to improve services in every nook and corner of the province and provide best treatment facilities to common man at his doorstep.

The Chief Minister directed constitution of a high-level steering committee and said that government is ready to resolve genuine demands of doctors but they will have to ensure service to ailing humanity and best use of resources. He said that the committee will review the problems of doctors and present its recommendations for their resolutions within a few days.

He expressed these views during meeting with a delegation of Young Doctors Association Punjab led by Dr. Ajmal Chaudhry at Model Town, today. In his key address to the delegation of Young Doctors Association, the Chief Minister said that doctors are associated with a noble profession and they have to play the role of ‘Masiha’ for the service of ailing humanity in the real sense. He said that strike has no connection with the profession of doctors.

He said that doctors should not go on strike rather serve ailing humanity. He said that service to the ailing humanity is a joint responsibility and we have to fulfill it at any cost. Shehbaz Sharif said that people have elected him through their votes for their service, similarly, doctors have achieved this status due to their parents and medical institutions. He said that although the role of doctors and politicians is different but their aim is similar and they have to jointly serve the humanity and improve health organizations.

The Chief Minister said that there should be no gulf between senior and junior doctors as they are young doctors today and will become senior doctors in future. What they will sow today they will reap it tomorrow and it is an admitted fact, he added. He said that without respect of teachers, no institution can move forward. It is also responsibility of senior doctors to behave politely with junior doctors and moving forward is possible only with this passion.

He said that as no doctor can see his patient dying similarly, no ruler can see their people in distress. Shehbaz Sharif said that people have elected him for their service and it is not an easy task. If work is done with dedication, honesty and devotion then blessings of Allah Almighty also include in it, he added.

He said that doctors, paramedical staff and nurses set high examples of service to ailing humanity during worth earthquake, flood of 2010 or any other natural calamity and spirit of sympathies emerged among them and they rendered great service in this hour of difficulty which can be written in golden words.

The Chief Minister said that there are best brains in Pakistan and no dearth of resources, despite, the condition of hospitals has not improved which is lamentable. He said that machinery worth billions of rupees is not operational in a number of hospitals. He said that CT scan machines are out of order or made non-functional and now present government is conducting audit of all machinery. He said that PML-N government has adopted a centralized system regarding provision of medicines and their supply in the hospitals, which was abolished by the past government.

Shahbaz Sharif said that unfortunately, 600 DDOs of Health Department did not cooperate due to which required fruits of this system were not achieved. He said that Punjab government spent billions of rupees of heard earned money of the people on provision of free medicines and these resources should reach the people at every cost.

The Chief Minister said that he paid visits to a number of hospitals including Shahdra where condition of cleanliness and availability of medicines was not satisfactory. Even a tablet of paracetamol was not available in Shahdra Hospital, he added. He said that present government set up a 400-bed state-of-the-art hospital at a cost of billions of rupees in Bahawalpur and when he visited the hospital, it presented a picture of desert. He said that the matter of 110 deaths at Punjab Institute of Cardiology in drugs case was criticized. He said that in Punjab, PML-N was in government while in center, government was of another political party.

Shahbaz Sharif said that medicines sent to PIC were manufactured in a factory of Karachi. When Federal government got samples of medicines analyzed, the medicines were proved correct but report of the samples of medicines sent to England by PML-N government showed that these medicines were for malaria and not for heart diseases. It was a great cruelty, which shows that we are still living in an age of caves and we are equally responsible for it, he added.  He said that had there been an effective system of check and balance, no human life had been wasted.

The Chief Minister said that cleanliness situation in hospitals is not satisfactory. There are blood spots present in operation theaters. He said that health services throughout the world are exemplary in Cuba, which has not strong economy.

Shahbaz Sharif said that our brotherly country Turkey has no oil or gas but it has best health services. He said that Iran, Malaysia and other countries are also providing excellent medical facilities to their people and modern healthcare facilities are also available to rural population in these countries.

The Chief Minister said that Allah Almighty has blessed Pakistan with uncountable resources but we have not benefitted fully from them and we all are responsible for this failure. He said time has come that we will have to take solid decisions and work in a coordinated manner for improving health facilities. We have to succeed with collective efforts, he added. He said that if we failed in it, then the coming generations will never forgive us.

Shahbaz Sharif said he will not tolerate that best treatment facilities are available to elites while poor people are deprived of even Paracetamol. If machinery remains packed in boxes in the hospitals and the equipments become out of order and people are not provided medical facilities then we will be answerable. He said that we need new social contract with regard to service to ailing humanity. He said that along with incentives, sense of responsibility and strict system of accountability is also necessary.

He said that all out resources will be made available for ensuring medical facilities to the people provided their transparent utilization is ensured and their fruits reach the people at every cost. He said that we will have to sit openheartedly to solve our problems in a good manner and improve health sector and for this purpose, there is a need of moving forward by making short term, midterm and long-term plans.

The Chief Minister said it is his faith that this work is difficult but not impossible. If we decide to move forward with the spirit of service to ailing humanity then we can definitely achieve our goal, he added. Referring to merit policy in Punjab, Shahbaz Sharif said that merit is upheld in the province and merit policy is strictly implemented. He said that merit has been promoted in every sector whether it is recruitment of teachers, constables or any other institution. He said that if any negligence comes fore at individual level then strict action is taken against the responsible. Mentioning merit policy in Aitcheson College, the Chief Minister said that merit policy has been maintained in this institution. He said that children of his deceased brother also suffered from merit policy but he strictly implemented merit as merit is only way to progress of the country.

He said that time has come that we will have to take solid decisions with the consultation of all stakeholders associated with medical sector for providing quality treatment facilities to the patients while keeping in view that we all are one. He said that saving life of a human being is a great deed and all will have to pay full attention to service delivery in a professional manner. He said that correct use of power and responsibility will give best results in medical sector and no progress can be made without it and an agreement will have to be made in this regard which could only benefit ailing humanity and all out resources will be provided for this purpose. He said that all will have to more forward for providing treatment facilities to the patients and improving the condition of the hospitals.

Earlier, the members of the delegation of Young Doctors Association and senior doctors presented suggestions regarding medical sector, provision of quality treatment facilities in hospitals, looking after the patients and other matters.

Provincial Minister for Finance Dr. Ayesha Ghaus Pasha, Advisor Health Khawaja Salman Rafique, Parliamentary Secretary Health Khawaja Imran Nazir, Chief Secretary, Secretaries Health, Vice Chancellor KEMU Dr. Faisal Masood, Vice Chancellors of medical universities, senior doctors and concerned officials were also present on the occasion.