— PCHF sponsored more than 700 surgeries of children with heart diseases free of cost
LAHORE: Punjab Minister for Specialized Healthcare & Medical Education Khawaja Salman Rafiq has said that Punjab government would welcome the cooperation of international institutions for providing best care health facilities to the people of Pakistan.
He said that steps being taken for the capacity building of the medical staff and introducing modern technology in the teaching hospitals.
He stated this while talking to a joint delegation of Gift of Life International and Pakistan Children Heart Foundation (PCHF), here on Wednesday. Chief Executive (CE) of Gift of Life International Rob Raylman, PCHF CE Farhan Ahmad and other office-bearers of both the institutions were included in the delegation. Institute of Child Health and Children Hospital Lahore Dean Professor Masood Sadiq also attended the meeting.
Rob Raylman informed that his institution Gift of Life International is the sister organisation of Rotary International which is providing treatment and surgical facilities to the children suffering from congenital heart diseases in 78 countries of the world.
He offered the services for training and capacity-building of the doctors and nurses serving in Children Hospital as well as other hospitals in paediatric cardiology departments. He said that the health mission would be sent to Punjab from abroad for imparting training to the local doctors; nurses would also be sent abroad from Punjab to get training as master trainers.
Rob Raylman also said that their NGO is ready to send complicated cases of heart diseases for treatment abroad. He informed the minister that Gift of Life will also provide medical equipment to the proposed children hospital to be built by Pakistan Children Heart Foundation at Ferozepur Road.
PCHF CE Farhan Ahmad informed that his foundation has so far sponsored 721 surgeries of congenital heart diseases in children free of cost. He disclosed that one surgery costs four to five lakh rupees. He further said that PCHF has planned to construct a children heart hospital and research institute on Ferozepur Road for which a piece of land is already available. He said that cooperation of Punjab government would be required for this noble cause.
Institute of Child Health Dean Professor Masood Sadiq disclosed that every year the number of children with congenital heart diseases is increasing for which close cooperation of public and private institutions is very essential. He disclosed that after completion of an extended block of Children Hospital Lahore, the capacity of heart surgeries have been increased three times as 16 operation theaters have been functionalised in the new block and the patients are turning from all over the country for treatment.
The Health Minister Khawaja Salman Rafiq while thanking the CE of Gift of Life International for extending his cooperation for training and capacity-building of the medical staff, said that Punjab government would welcome international cooperation and extend all out support to complete the task.