While addressing a meeting via video-link at the Civil Secretariat on Saturday to review in detail the steps taken for the improvement of public health facilities and reforms to be made in the Health Department, Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has given green signal to the implementation of a revolutionary programme for the improvement of public health facilities in the province, under which, effective reforms will be made for the development of public health facilities in all tehsil and district headquarters hospitals speedily.
The meeting decided to immediately make recruitments on approved vacancies of doctors and paramedical staff in tehsil and district headquarters hospitals whereas approval was also given to recruitment programme on approved vacancies of specialist doctors in tehsil and district headquarters hospitals. The meeting also decided to give a special incentive package to the specialists and medical doctors in the said hospitals in backward and far-flung areas of the province whereas target was fixed for ensuring provision of basic medicines in all hospitals by March 2015.
The chief minister said that provision of quality and modern treatment facilities to the masses is among the top priorities of the government. He said that revolutionary reforms are being made in health sector for the improvement of public health facilities and billions of rupees are being spent on the provision of best health facilities to the people.
He said that a target has been fixed to make defective machinery and equipments of the hospitals operational by March this year. He said that restoration work of necessary infrastructure will be completed in these hospitals by July 2015.
Shahbaz said that a special incentive package will be given to specialist doctors and medical officers on the basis of their performance working in the hospitals of far-flung districts. He directed to complete recruitments on approved vacant posts by April, adding that all recruitment will be completed on merit and transparently. He said that a mechanism should be evolved for monitoring of all system of supply, distribution and stock of medicines according to the requirements in the hospitals. He said that an inventory control system of machinery and equipments should be evolved in the hospitals.
The chief minister said that immediate steps should be taken for introducing biometric system for ensuring attendance of doctors and staff in the hospitals. He said that revolutionary reforms programme in health sector is of great importance with regard to provision of quality health facilities to the people and the basic aim of reforms programme is to provide best treatment facilities to the masses. He said that new steps being taken for improving public health facilities be effectively monitored. He directed that complaint cells should be set up in the hospitals for redressal of complaints.
The secretary health gave detailed briefing with regard to improving public health facilities and reforms in health sector. The meeting reviewed in detail the steps taken for the improvement of public health facilities and reforms in the department.