A new state-of-the-art treatment and rehabilitation centre for drug addicts has been set up in Lahore in the premises of the Punjab Institute of Mental Health (PIMH). The 100-bed and 10-cell centre has been completed at a cost of Rs 192.142 million, which will start functioning in June 2017, announced Punjab Minister for Specialised Healthcare and Medical Education Khawaja Salman Rafique here on Friday. He was presiding over a meeting after inspecting the newly-constructed building of the centre. Dr Nasir Bhatti informed the attendees of the meeting that the Finance Department has approved 113 posts for the newly established centre while 40 posts would be sanctioned soon after making the yard-stick criteria for the posts. Khawaja Salaman directed the special secretary health to approach the committee, constituted for the yard-stick criteria in King Edward Medical University (KEMU) and resolve the matter at the earliest. Dr Nasir Bhatti said that procurement process for medical equipment had already been completed and Rs 38 million was released for the purpose. Khawaja Salman Rafique said that the government was spending billions of rupees for the construction of hospitals and specialised health centres. Khawaja Salman Rafique also took a round of the building and appreciated the efforts of chief executive PIMH, officers of Health and C&W Department for completing the project.
