–Health minister says govt will take every possible step to enhance capacity of Bone Marrow Transplantation Unit at Children’s Hospital Lahore
LAHORE: The Punjab Healthcare Commission (PHC) and Midlands Partnership Foundation Trust NHS UK will be collaborating for mutual learning to ensure quality assurance in healthcare service delivery.
This was decided in a meeting held between the two sides at the PHC office on Tuesday.
Midlands Partnership Foundation Trust Chief Executive Dr Neil Carr led a three-member delegation, comprising Trust Medical Director Dr Abid Khan and Clinical Partner Dr Muhammad Gul.
PHC Chief Operating Officer (COO) Dr Muhammad Ajmal Khan led the commission team, comprising Clinical Governance Director Dr Mushtaq Ahmed Salariya, Licensing Director Dr Muhammad Anwar Janjua, Complaints Director Prof Riaz Ahmed Tasneem and others.
Dr Neil gave a detailed overview of the Care Quality Commission’s Regulatory Framework in the NHS and elaborated various facets of quality healthcare service delivery in the UK. The delegates appreciated the commission over its success in bringing reforms to the health sector.
Dr Muhammad Ajmal Khan briefed the delegates about the jurisdiction, working, mandate and achievements of the PHC.
He said that the commission had registered more than 52,000 and licensed over 34,500 healthcare establishments (HCEs) besides preparing the minimum service delivery standards (MSDS) for different kinds of treatment facilities.
About the training of the health professionals on the MSDS, he mentioned that the commission had trained over 20,300 health professionals of more than 16,000 HCEs to implement the standards, and carried out around 14,800 inspections of 12, 653 HCEs.
He also told the delegates about the international recognition given to the PHC for its achievements.
About its anti-quackery drive, the COO said that PHC had so far shut down 16,921 quackery outlets, and because of the demonstration effect of the campaign, around 7,000 had quit quackery.
HEALTH MINISTER:
Meanwhile, Punjab Minister for Health Dr Yasmin Rashid said that the Punjab government would take every possible step to enhance the capacity of the Bone Marrow Transplantation Unit at Children’s Hospital Lahore.
“Last year it was merely a dream to conduct bone marrow transplantation at the [Children’s] Hospital, but today it has become a reality,” she said while addressing a ceremony arranged in connection with successful bone marrow transplantation of 10 children at the hospital.
Appreciating the role of Children’s Hospital Dean Professor Masood Sadiq, she noted that the bone marrow unit had successfully developed a “Zero Bacteria” environment, which was necessary for patients.
The minister also assured that the government would consider approving a Rs300 million additional grant for the transplantation unit and cancer research centre at the hospital.
Punjab Health Secretary Saqib Zaffer, at the occasion, appreciated the landmark success in the field of bone marrow transplantation and said that the average cost of every case was Rs1.5 million to Rs2 million, but the patients had not been charged a single penny.
He also thanked philanthropists for lending a hand in the treatment of deserving patients.
Earlier, Professor Masood Sadiq reiterated the need to expand the bone marrow unit and cancer research centre. “Presently the unit has a capacity of 20 operations every year, but if the government approved an additional grant, the capacity could be increased,” he said.
