Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif chaired a high-level meeting that reviewed progress on the steps taken to improve the healthcare system and ongoing reform programs in the health sector here Sunday.
Addressing the meeting, the Chief Minister said that provision of quality and modern medical facilities to people is his mission which he will fulfil at all costs. With hard work and determination steps are being taken to improve the healthcare system.
The Chief Minister said that we had to move forward to serve the ailing humanity. All out resources were available for the provision of better medical facilities to the people.
The Chief Minister said that Prime Minister National Health Insurance Program was successfully running in four districts of the province and the scope of this program would be extended to all districts of the province.
The Chief Minister said that Punjab government had introduced a modern system of purchase, supply and distribution of medicines and this new system would end the sale of counterfeit and substandard medicines. The Chief Minister said that the samples of medicines were being sent to foreign labs for examination and those who were performing well in collecting samples of medicines and sending them to foreign labs are being encouraged. This new system of purchase, supply and distribution of medicines is an important step for the provision of quality medicines to the patients, he added.
The Chief Minister said that the program to provide CT scan machines in all districts was being implemented. With the installation of CT scan machines in district hospitals, the patients would have the facilities around the clock.
The Chief Minister also directed the responsible personnel to audit the installation of dialysis machines in all government hospitals and to take immediate steps to overcome the shortage of nephrologists in government hospitals.
The Chief Minister said that mobile health units were providing quality medical facilities to people at their doorsteps, in far flung areas. The Chief Minister also directed the concerned personnel to purchase more mobile health units. He also directed them to present a comprehensive plan for blood bank, blood collection and blood transfer.
The Chief Minister said that motorbikes’ ambulance service would be introduced soon in 9 divisions of the province and the training for staff of these ambulances was going on.
The Chief Minister said that the Punjab government has handed over the administration of ambulance service of the hospitals from the health department to Rescue 1122. This new system of ambulance service would improve the service of transferring patients to hospitals.
The Chief Minister said that Patient Transfer Service was a revolutionary step of Punjab government. He further added that continuous efforts were required for the improvement in the healthcare system which would bear fruits in the future.
DG Rescue 1122 while briefing the media said that all steps had been taken for the auction of old ambulances and the auction of 81 outmode ambulances would be done in this month.
Provincial Ministers Khawaja Salman Rafique, Kh. Imran Nazir, Advisor Dr Umer Saif, additional chief secretary, secretaries of the concerning departments, health experts and other high officials also attended the meeting.
