A delegation of Turkish health ministry arrives in Lahore

Lahore : A high level delegation of Ministry of Health Turkey arrived in Lahore on Thursday on a weeklong visit to the metropolitan city. Headed by Dr. Hasan Cagil, the delegation called on the Advisor to Chief Minister on Health Kh. Salman Rafique.

On this occasion, a detailed briefing was given to the delegation on Punjab healthcare system. On this occasion, Parliamentary Secretary Health Kh. Imran Nazir, Secretary Specialized Healthcare & Medical Education Najam Ahmed Shah, Secretary Primary & Secondary Health Ali Jan Khan, Member Health P&D Dr. Shabana Haider Consultant Health Dr. Naeem ud Din Mian, CEO Punjab Healthcare Commission Dr. Ajmal Khan, Chief Executive Punjab Health Sector Initiatives Management Company Dr. Saira, DG Health Dr. Mukhtar Hussain Syed, Deputy Secretary Health & Focal Person Dr. Yadullah and other senior officers attended the meeting.

Both secretaries gave detailed briefings about their respective departments and apprised them about the new initiatives taken by the government for up-gradation and development of health sector in Punjab.

They informed that Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif and provincial government has taking steps for ensuring provision of quality health facilities to the people as a mission for which vast reforms are being introduced in specialized healthcare & medical education as well as primary & secondary health department.

The development and non-development budget of health has been enhanced significantly. Revamping of hospitals is being carried out on which Rs.8 billion are being spent. provision of quality medicines to the people in the hospitals is another important target of the government for which Rs.15 billion have been allocated during the current fiscal year and for the first time medicines are being procured from multi-national and well reputed national level pharmaceutical companies through centralized procurement system.

Ali Jan Khan informed that special initiatives have been taken to reduce infant mortality and maternal mortality rate and now 60 thousand deliveries are being conducted by skilled birth attendants at seven hundred 24/7 BHUs earlier this number was 12 thousand. National Health Insurance Scheme has also been introduced in Punjab.

Secretary Specialized Healthcare Najam Ahmed Shah said that there are issues of availability of trained human resource, capacity-building and shortage of specialists in different specialties/sub-specialties like anesthesia, cardiac surgery etc. Ali  Jan Khan said that government has allocated huge funds for disease prevention programme and special focus is being given on prevention and control of different diseases. He said that drugs testing laboratories have also been up-graded.

While talking to the delegation, Kh. Salman Rafiq said that Punjab government intends benefit from the experience of Ministry of Turkey for health sector development, reducing infant mortality and maternal mortality rate, removing the deficiencies in the health system, hospital waste management and health information management system.

The Head of Turkish delegation Dr. Hasan Cargill said that during their stay in Lahore, the delegation would visit different institutions and meet local experts and share their experience with the health authorities in Punjab. He reiterated that Turkish delegation has come to Lahore for helping the people of Punjab by the core of heart.