Government accords highest priority to health and education: minister

Provincial Minister for Excise & Taxation Mujtaba Shujaur Rehman has said that the government has accorded highest priority to health and education and the provincial health and education budget has been increased and additional resources have been provided to accelerate the efforts for prompt achievement of Millennium Development Goal (MDGs).
While talking to a delegation of PML-N workers at his residence on Thursday, Mujtaba said that 95 percent of discretionary funds are being used for the treatment of under privileged people as well as for grant in aid to the poor people.
He said that the budget allocated for education is Rs 310.20 billion, which is 27 percent of total expenditures whereas the budget allocated for health Rs 166.13 billion, which is 14 percent of total expenditures of the government.
Mujtaba said that Health Insurance Card will be issued to provide state-of-the-art healthcare facilities even in private health institutions to the poor card holder patients.
He said that Rs 10.82 billion have been reserved for provision of medicines at public sector hospitals. One billion rupees had been provided for mobile health units in remote areas, he added.
He said that four new Daanish schools will be set up in less developed areas for the provision of modern education to the talented students of these areas.
He said that 990 high schools will be equipped with computer labs, missing facilities will be provided in 7,500 schools and 500 new schools will be opened during current fiscal year.
He said that government has provided Rs 1.41 billion for incentive package to the specialist doctors so that to ensure the specialist doctors at THQs. He said that 700 BHUs have been converted into modern health centres and 24 hours healthcare facilities are being provided at these centres.
He said that skilled birth attendants, LHVs and LHWs are being appointed at health centres because the MMR in LHWs covered area is 147/100,000 live births, compared 300 to 350/100,000 to uncovered areas, therefore, the LHWs, LHVs.