The 11th two-day International Symposium of Children Hospital and Institute of Child Health Lahore started on Friday. Adviser to Chief Minister Punjab on Health, Khawaja Salman Rafique, was the chief guest at the inaugural ceremony.
Pediatricians and clinicians from all over the country, doctors from Children Hospital Birmingham, UK and India are also participating in the symposium. Dean Children Hospital Prof. Masood Sadiq, Medical Director Prof. Ahsan Waheed Rathor, Prof. Shaista Maqbool, principals of different medical colleges, retired professors, a large number of doctors, nurses and foreign delegates attended the inauguration. Prof. Masood Sadiq, in his initial remarks, said that Children Hospital Lahore is the only hospital in the country where diagnostic and treatment facilities of all the diseases of children are available.
Salman Rafique said that protection of the rights of children and provision of health facilities to them is the duty of the government and the society adding that Punjab government is taking special steps for prevention of diseases and provision of mother and child health facilities. He informed that, on the direction of Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, hospitals for children are being established at every divisional headquarters in the province, out of which two hospitals, in Faisalabad and Multan have been completed.
He said that the cancer unit of Children Hospital, Lahore is being expanded and after functioning of new indoor block of the hospital, the capacity of cancer unit would be enhanced to 60-beds. Kh. Salman Rafique said that government is providing fellowships slots in 56 super specialties and sub-specialties.
Earlier, Prof. Masood Sadiq proposed that keeping in view the increasing burden of children-related diseases; a separate medical university should be set up for pediatric health. He told that the bed occupancy rate in Children Hospital is 200 per cent and workload is increasing day-by-day.
Despite all difficulties, best treatment and diagnostic facilities are being provided to the patients coming from all over the country in the hospital, he added.
He said that doctors and nurses should be compensated financially through the additional duty hours formula to retain the staff. Prof. Masood Sadiq urged the establishment of more children hospitals in Lahore to cater to the health needs of the masses. He disclosed that bone marrow transplant facility would be available in the hospital within next few months as the doctors are being trained at the Institute of Blood Diseases (IBD) Karachi.
Kh. Salman Rafique assured that he will present the proposal for the establishment of separate university for child health issues to the chief minister for his approval. Kh. Salman Rafique lauded the efforts and services of the team of Children Hospital for providing best healthcare, promoting medical education and training the doctors, nurses in coordination with the international medical education and hospitals.