Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz led coalition government in Punjab headed by Mian Shahbaz Sharif is going to announce a comprehensive programme for provision of quality and standardised health cover to people of the province.
Sources in the PML-N told Business Recorder that Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif had already asked the health authorities in the province to take steps on emergent basis for provision of quality healthcare facilities to the people.
Sources claimed that the Punjab government has decided to equip the main teaching hospitals in the province with the state-of-the-art medical equipment and facilities, especially in the field of cardiovascular surgery, cancer, organs transplant, brain surgery and burn and dialysis units. Cardiac clinics and facilities will be extended to district level hospitals and institutes with latest technology and modern equipment, the sources added.
The provincial government will make all out efforts to provide clean drinking water and basic hygiene facilities to the rural population so as to check hepatitis, which has become a serious health problem in Pakistan, the sources said, adding that massive vaccination against poliomyelitis, neonatal tetanus, malaria and a cluster of childhood diseases will be carried out, and immunisation coverage will be increased to 80 percent. In order to provide clean and pollution free atmosphere to the masses, Rs eight billion would be spent on sewerage and drainage projects in addition to Rs three billion that would be spent in five big cities, the sources said.
The sources said that the Punjab government is committed to eliminate the menace of child labour from the province and protect their rights at every cost. In this regard, the government is designing and implementing child labour elimination programmes especially in export-oriented industries.
Punjab Minister for Population Welfare Mrs Neelam Jabbar Chaudhry said the coalition government is attaching highest priority to health and education sectors and budgetary allocations for health sector has been enhanced by 38.5 percent for developmental schemes. She said that Rs 26 billion have been reserved for provision of healthcare facilities to the people so as to combat communicable and non-communicable diseases as focus of the present government is on protective healthcare.
Neelam further said that past regime did not pay attention on people's healthcare, therefore, polio cases are being reported in Punjab as well as in other parts of the country. She said that present government has launched a comprehensive campaign with renewed determination against polio and other communicable and non-communicable diseases.
The best approach to make the people and future generation healthy is to save the children and mother through vaccine, she added. She said that the government has involved the teachers, elected representatives, community leaders, and Ulema to create awareness among general public against polio and other diseases.
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