Nawaz must come back as he is fine now: Dr Yasmin

LAHORE: Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid has said that Nawaz Sharif must come back to the country as he is fine and not getting any medical treatment now.

Talking to the media after a seminar on the World Mental Health Day, held at the Punjab Institute of Mental Health here on Saturday, she said that former prime minister had gone abroad claiming he needed cardiac treatment, which he had not done so far.

She said that he (Nawaz) had not sought treatment for nine months which meant his health was okay.

"The impact of treatment on Nawaz Sharif started coming after 8 weeks when he was sick and he got better as soon as he reached London," she added.

She said that Nawaz would have been hospitalized if he was not well.

Addressing the seminar, she appreciated the effort by Executive Director PIMH and Principal SIMS Dr Mehmud Ayaz. for wellbeing of the mental health patients.

She said a girls hostel had been constructed at a cost of Rs. 45 million, adding that in 25 rooms of the hostel, same facilities had been arranged as were provided to doctors and nurses.

She said that the World Mental Health Day reminded to renew the pledge to take care of people facing mental illnesses.

She said that treatment of mental patients was the most difficult task for doctors.

"Brains of mentally ill patients starts shrinking and their entire families are affected," she said.

The minister said the government wanted to upgrade this institution and it planned to set up four units in the Institute equipped with Counseling Center and Memory Clinics to take better care of these patients.

The Minister also discussed the coronavirus situation and said that as per vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan and Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar, Punjab had been able to control the pandemic efficiently.

"Lockdowns are being imposed in many countries including America, Brazil and India, adding the pandemic has affected the global economy," she said.

She said that Punjab had developed SOPs for public gatherings, however, coronavirus cases might increase it SOPs were not followed.

The Health Minister said the government had hired 32,000 doctors on merit and around 50 per cent positions were lying vacant in the health department (s) two years ago.

She informed that the degree would be issued for nurses at the Post Graduate Institute of Midwifery.

"Sehat Insaf Cards have been distributed among 5.2 million families. Universal Health Coverage is being provided in Punjab as we are scaling up the Sehat Insaf Cards to include eight million families," she said.

The minister said that all cardiology hospitals had been empanelled in Sehat Insaf Cards Program.

"It is for the first that seven Mother and Child Hospitals are being set up in Punjab whereas new hospitals with addition of 100 to 1500 beds are in the pipeline for Lahore,” she said.

Earlier, Principal SIMS and Executive Director Dr Ashraf welcomed the minister with words of thanks for her keen interest in the activities related to the World Mental Health Day. Later, she inaugurated the girls hostel and a zoo there.

Renowned writer and poet Amjad Islam Amjad, Vice Chancellor King Edward Medical University Dr Khalid Masood Gondal, Vice Chancellor Fatima Jinnah Medical University Professor Amir Zaman Khan, Chairman Board, doctors, nurses and faculty members were present.