LAHORE – Punjab Health Parliamentary Secretary Saeed Elahi said on Thursday that health is first priority of the Punjab government and the health budget was increased from Rs 11 to 45 billion. He was responding to questions during question hour of the Punjab Assembly’s (PA) 22nd session. House proceedings started with Speaker Rana Iqbal in the chair at 10:25am and the question hour session began. Responding to a volley of questions by members of the provincial assembly (MPAs) across the political divide, Saeed said that the Punjab government wants to ensure availability of basic health facilities to people across the province and is especially focusing on rural areas. He said that all resources are being used in this regard.
Saeed, responding to a supplementary question, said that the Punjab government would bring 50 more mobile health units by the year end and 150 more would be purchased in the next two years. He said that facility of X-rays and ECG would also be provided at these mobile health units. Responding to another question about delay of autopsy of dead body of a woman, Saeed informed the House that after verdict of the Supreme Court, only the female doctors could conduct autopsy of women. But the Punjab government is looking into the issue and 15 female doctors have recently been appointed in this regard.
Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) forward bloc MPA Sheikh Allauddin, in his supplementary question, said that the Supreme Court verdict was in 1996 and owing to this decision, people are facing problems and why the Punjab government did not file a review before the apex court to facilitate people. Saeed said that review could be filed only within period of three years after the verdict, as this judgment was given by full bench of the apex court so time had lapsed now. Allauddin said that the Punjab government could file the review even after 50 years in cases of public interest.
The parliamentary secretary offered his colleague to file the review saying that the Punjab government would support him on which Allauddin said he was not a party in this case so he could not file the review as. “I am ready to pay fees to the lawyer, if the Punjab government wants to file the review”, he added. The PML-Q forward bloc MPA drew attention of the House that autopsy reports prepared by female doctors also provided a chance of acquittal to the accused involved cases of rape or gang rape owing to their non pursuance of the case. He said that female doctors, most of the time, avoid facing cross examination in such cases.
Treasury MPA Rana Afzal said that doctor’s profession is such a noble profession and even male doctors are considered as best gynecologists so what is wrong in appointing male doctors for woman autopsy. Saeed said that law did not allow doing so. He said that in light of another decision of the Supreme Court, admission to medical colleges is also done on open merit. MPA Dr Samia Amjad said that female doctors avoided cross examination and should not be exposed. After the question hour, the chair adjourned the House proceedings until today (Friday).
