LAHORE: Punjab government is introducing the Green Field Hospitals Scheme through which big hospitals would be established in Punjab with the collaboration of private sector. Under this programme, the first hospital of its kind would be constructed in Lahore with the capacity of 500 beds.
This was stated by the Specialized Healthcare & Medical Education Secretary Najam Ahmad Shah while addressing Hospital Road Show in a local hotel, Karachi. Najam Ahmad Shah said that it would be a first general hospital in Punjab and Pakistan which would be constructed through public private partnership. Punjab Health Initiative Management Company Chief Executive Officre Zaheer Abbas Malik and a large number of investors, lenders and operators participated in the road show.
Health secretary said that Chief Minister Punjab Shehbaz Sharif approved the scheme to ensure maximum health facilities to the masses. He said that although the government is spending huge funds on the development of health sector and to provide quality healthcare to the people, more attention needs to paid to the issues of the people.
He said that by getting the private sector on board, the quality of health services would be improved and the chances of corruption in the construction of hospital infrastructure would also be eradicated.
“NEITHER ANY GOVT HOSPITAL IS BEING PRIVATISED, NOR ANY EMPLOYEE TERMINATED”:
In a separate development, Punjab Minister for Primary & Secondary Health Khawaja Imran Nazir has categorically announced that neither any government hospital is being privatised nor any government employee is being removed from the job. He said that only management of some hospitals is being outsourced; however, the hospitals assets and property will remain under the ownership of government. Moreover, government will provide budget to run the hospital and outsourcing is being done to ensure quality healthcare to the patients in the hospitals.
He stated this while talking to the media persons after visiting Government Sabzazar Hospital, here today. MNA Mehar Ishtiaq, Lahore Health CEO Dr Yaddullah, and other officers were present. He said that the management of the Sabzazar Hospital is being outsourced to INDUS Hospital Trust.
Replying to a question, Imran Nazir said that he is in favour of regularisation of contract employees of dengue control programme who are serving for the last many years and a summary has also been sent to the chief minister for this purpose.