'Medical equipment exempted from taxes'

Federal Health Minister Nasir Ahmed Khan has said the government has exempted the medical and surgical equipment from taxes to facilitate private sector for providing better health facilities to the people.
"Two 10-storey buildings equipped with all modern facilities are being constructed in PIMS Islamabad and the JPMC Karachi for cardiac surgery", said Nasir Khan while addressing a gathering after foundation laying ceremony of the Quaid-e-Azam International Hospital, a private sector venture of 400-bed hospital, being built in Rawalpindi the by private sector.
Punjab Health Minister Dr Tahir Ali Javed, former NA speaker Gauhar Ayub Khan and Dr Shaukat Ali Bangash, chief executive of the hospital, also addressed the function.
The minister said the federal government has formulated a comprehensive strategy to provide better medical facilities to every citizen of Pakistan. "We have increased the health budget for the last three years from Rs 3.4 billion to Rs 11.8 billion while Rs 2.77 billion was allocated for prevention from hepatitis", he added. The minister said that patients suffering from tuberculosis and HIV/Aids were being provided medicines free of cost to fight against these diseases.
Nasir Khan said the provincial budget allocations in health sector were increased from Rs 14.5 billion to Rs 52 billion. The private sector has a big role to play in the health sector besides other sectors and the government is making efforts to attract the private sector to invest in the health sector, the minister said, adding with the involvement of the private sector, the health facilities in Pakistan would come at par with other developed countries.
He said that October 8 earthquake has changed the scenario of Pakistan within 40 seconds. But the positive aspect of this disaster was that the whole nation united to help the survivors.
The minister said the Ummah is looking towards Pakistan and patients of the Muslim countries want to get medical treatment in Pakistan. "We are increasing the capacity of both the PIMS Islamabad and the JPMC Karachi after the construction of 10-storey additional complexes in both the hospitals. With the opening of these blocks, the people from Yemen and other Muslim countries would come to Pakistan for medical treatment, he added.