Shahbaz wants quality health facilities for all

 *CM lauds role of paramedic staff during flood relief activities

There is a dire need to improve healthcare system to provide quality health facilities to the common man, said Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif while talking to journalists after addressing a function held on the occasion of 11th annual meeting of the Pakistan Pediatric Cardiology and Cardiac Surgeons Society at Children Hospital on Sunday.

Addressing the function, the chief minister said that it was an honour and pleasure for him to attend the function and meet those great messiahs who have always played an active role in serving the ailing humanity. He said that doctors, nurses and paramedical staff have always served the humanity with devotion and dedication during earthquake, flood or any other natural calamity. The chief minister said that Punjab is facing worst flood of the history which has caused massive destruction, displaced millions and damaged standing crops on thousands of acres of land. He said that doctors helped their brothers and sisters in this hour of trial and provided best medical facilities.

Shahbaz said that unfortunately desired results could not be achieved from basic and rural health centres and their performance have become a question mark.

He said that the government had imported six mobile units from Holland in 2011. He said that these health units equipped with diagnostic equipments of providing modern treatment facilities to the people of far-flung areas of South Punjab at their doorstep whereas performance of basic and rural health centres are not up to the mark. He said that professors and doctors should suggest such practicable solution as could ensure provision of quality health facilities continuously in far-flung areas. He said that best treatment facilities are available to the elites whereas widow, orphan, poor worker and common man are deprived of basic medical facilities.

The chief minister said that we have to provide modern medical facilities to the common man by improving the system. Therefore, medical experts and Pakistani doctors working in America, Europe and other countries should give concrete proposals in the light of their experiences for this purpose as every Pakistani is looking towards them and as a Pakistani, this country and its people have first right over them, he added.

The chief minister said that journey is long, challenge is big but destiny can be achieved through hard work, devotion and dedication. He said that if you will be able to improve healthcare system in the light of your experiences, the coming generations will also take pride in you. He said that short, medium and long term practicable solution should be proposed as we have to overcome this challenge collectively.

Shahbaz said, no doubt, there is shortage of human resources in medical field and people belonging to this profession do not go to far-flung villages. He said that improvement of healthcare system is a big challenge and we have to accept it jointly and will have to march forward by making collective efforts for providing medical facilities to 180 million people. He said that due to increasing pressure of patients in Children Hospital, there is a need to enhance this facility and by providing this facility at divisional level, people will not have to bring their children in Lahore. He directed to constitute a committee for making indoor building of Children Hospital functional at the earliest and asked the committee to submit its report within a week.

He directed Health advisor Khawaja Salman Rafique and Health secretary to prepare and submit recommendations with regard to granting financial and administrative autonomy and other matters relating to this institution.

Professor Dr Masood Sadiq threw light on the aims and objectives of the conference in his welcome address. He told that the delegates from Turkey, America, UK, India, Thailand, United Arab Emirates, Indonesia and other countries are participating in the conference and their experiences will be benefitted. He also informed about the medical facilities being provided to the children suffering from cardiac diseases in the hospital. He told that MoUs are being signed with New Dehli JB Institute of Medical Sciences and a hospital in London for treatment of cardiac diseases. Sadiq said that after becoming indoor building functional in Children Hospital, facility of pediatric surgery will increase three times annually. Professor Dr Kaleemud Din Aziz and Professor Shakeel Qureshi also addressed the conference.