LAHORE:Â Provincial Minister for Primary and Secondary Healthcare Khawaja Imran Nazir on Tuesday said that dedicated and hardworking officers and other staffers are a true asset, adding that the government will encourage the officials performing their duties diligently in different government departments.
He expressed these views while addressing Sehat Khidmat Award ceremony, held at the conference room of Town Hall, to encourage the best performing officers and officials of the District Health Authority Lahore. The ceremony was also attended by Lahore Deputy Commissioner Syed Sumair Ahmed, Mayor Mubashar Javed, Health Department CEO Dr Yadullah, deputy mayors, as well as officers and officials of the Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department. Certificates and cheques were distributed among 68 employees, including doctors, nurses, ward boys, nannies and officials of the janitorial services for excellent performance.
Imran Nazir said that Sehat Khidmat Award had been started on the direction of Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif to create a sense of positive competition in the health department, adding it would help to improve the working of the public-sector hospitals in the province.
He further said that this would also help to mitigate different diseases, as well as provide protection to millions of children by improving the immunisation coverage, adding that no organisation could be made fully operational without a system of punishments and rewards for the employees.
Encouragement of officers and staffers was equally important so that they could continue showing good performance and help improve the service delivery mechanism of the hospitals, he said. This would encourage the staff to improve their performance, which would directly benefit the people, he added.
Meanwhile, a delegation of lady health workers, led by Sajida Hameed, Samina Naaz and Shehnaz Akhtar, called on Imran Nazir and apprised him of their problems. The minister categorically made it clear that the government was not going to privatise any public hospitals, nor would the employees of the health department be relieved of their jobs.
He said that Punjab Health Facilities Management Company was a public-sector entity and its staff was also considered as government employees, adding they have equal rights as exercised by other government servants.