Shahbaz Sharif announces reward for MS DHQ,Sheikhupura and her team

Lahore : Chief Minister Punjab Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif presided over a high level meeting here to review progress on Health Sector Reforms Program.

Addressing the meeting, the Chief Minister said that for the upcoming financial year, the record funding of Rs. 263.22 billion has been earmarked which reflects that Punjab government is determined to providing best medical facilities to the people.

He praised Deputy Commissioner Irqam Tariq and MS Dr. Shehnaz and her whole team for improving condition of DHQ Sheikhupura and announced a reward of one million rupees for MS DHQ Hospital Sheikhupura Dr. Shehnaz and her team.

He also praised Health Department for achieving target of the immunization campaign. He said a modern system has been evolved for the purchase, transportation and distribution of medicines and this system will eliminate evil business of spurious medicines and embezzlement.

He said free medicines of top quality are being provided to needy patients in public sector hospitals and samples of medicines are being sent to Europe, Africa, Singapore, Thailand and Turkey for analysis and testing, adding a modern medicine testing lab is functional in Lahore as well.

He said a program is being speedily implemented to provide CT scan machines at all hospitals of the province to provide 24/7 CT scan facility to the people at their doorstep. He said process of reforms in government hospitals has yielded positive results.

He said that installation of incinerators is being ensured at hospitals to dispose of hospital waste. He said that new hospitals equipped with modern health facilities have been constructed throughout the province and construction work is continuing in some hospitals.

He said that Punjab Quality Control Board and Public Health Institute are reorganized and being set on modern lines. He said Khadim-e-Punjab Rural Ambulance Service has been launched to facilitate rural population.  He said that speedy steps are being taken for improvement of medical facilities in rural health centers and basic health units.

He said new and latest ultrasound machines are being procured in phases for rural health centers. He said the Punjab government is advancing Hepatitis Control Program in an effective way and Hepatitis Clinic in Lahore is providing medical aid to liver patients and this program is being advanced to establish filter clinics under this program. He said the draft of hepatitis control bill has been prepared and hepatitis patients are being provided medicines besides their screening.

The Chief Minister directed that speedy measures should be taken to overcome shortage of medical officers and consultants in the hospitals. He said that janitorial outsource of hospitals has also yielded positive results.

He said state-of-the-art warehouses are drastically needed for the storage of medicines. He said the reforms program of 40 hospitals of Punjab is being implemented at the fast pace and these hospitals are being provided modern and latest machinery.

He said the network of PM Health Insurance Scheme is being expanded to the whole province and with this scheme lakhs of poor families will get free medical treatment at government and private hospitals.

Sir Michael Barber congratulated the Chief Minister for presenting balanced budget and allocating huge resources for health sector. He said excellent progress has been made in the health sector under the leadership of the Chief Minister. DFID Chief in Pakistan Joanna Reid said the Punjab government’s Health Reforms Program is impressive.

UNICEF representative said the performance of the Punjab government regarding implementation of the Immunization Program is praiseworthy. Provincial Ministers Salman Rafique, Khwaja Imran Nazir, Begum Zakia Shahnawaz, Adviser Dr. Umer Saif, Managing Partner Delivery Associates Sir Michael Barber, DFID Chief in Pakistan Ms. Joanna Reid and her team, Chief Secretary, Secretaries Health and concerning officials were present on the occasion.