Punjab allocates Rs 22 billion for specialised healthcare & medical education

The Punjab government has allocated an amount of Rs 22,000 million for the Specialized Healthcare & Medical Education (SH& ME) sector and Rs 23, 500 million for 159 schemes of Primary and Secondary Healthcare (P&SH) Department in its budget for 2019-20.
With focus on strengthening/upgrading the already existing facilities and provision of tertiary level healthcare to the communities apart from enhancing skills as well as competence of staff at all levels, the Punjab government has allocated an amount of Rs 22,000 million (ADP: Rs 19,400 million + ODP: Rs 2,600 million), for the SH&ME for implementation of 83 schemes.
For 59 schemes of tertiary care hospitals, Rs 16,591.442 million have been allocated followed by Rs 2,563.050 million for 16 schemes of Medical Education, Rs 245.508 million for five schemes of Specialized Health Care & Miscellaneous, Rs 2,600 million for three schemes of Other Development Programs (ODP) and one for public-private partnership (PPP).
It is for the first time that skill labs are being established to impart medical education to students on latest devices like; simulators, manikins etc. In the ADP 2019-20, the schemes including establishment of University of Child Health Sciences at Lahore; provision of Skill Lab to impart education to medical students as per international practices; procurement of essential medical equipment for teaching and learning purpose, at University of Health Sciences, Lahore and construction of hostels for students of Services Institute of Medical Sciences and Fatima Jinnah Medical University, Lahore.
The Pakistan Kidney & Liver Institute and Research Centre, Lahore; Institute of Urology & Transplantation, Rawalpindi; establishment of Dera Ghazi Khan Institute of Cardiology, Dera Ghazi Khan and establishment of Mother and Child Block in Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Lahore are centers of excellence which have been included in the ADP 2019-20.
During 2019-20, the government has planned establishment of 500 bedded Nishter -2 Hospital at Multan; 500 bedded Teaching Hospital (Sheikh Zayed Hospital-2) at Rahim Yar Khan; Medical Tower at Jinnah Hospital, Lahore; Gynae Block in Teaching Hospital, D. G Khan; emergency & OPD Block at Teaching Hospital, D.G. Khan; University of Child Health Sciences at Lahore; construction of Hostels for students of Medical Colleges; establishment of Children Hospital at Gujranwala; up-gradation of Institute of Cardiology into Cardiac and Vascular Institute of Rawalpindi and implementation of schemes through Public Private Partnership (PPP) to cater for increasing needs of health care of the masses.
As per targets for financial year 2019-20, 32 schemes are likely to be completed; Health Insurance Program will be expanded in all 36 districts of Punjab; emergencies of 4 hospitals will be completed; 45 lifts will be purchased to replace the old lifts installed in the hospitals; 279 dialysis machines will be purchased to meet the requirement of Hospitals; 4 MRI machines will be purchased; two angiography machines will be purchased; five CT scan machines will be purchased completion of Up-gradation of Radiology / Specialties Department in Services Hospital, Lahore will be made.
For 159 schemes of Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department, the main objective of the ADP 2019-20 is to complete the development initiative undertaken during the previous years. For this purpose, Rs 18.360 billion have been allocated to the on-going development portfolio which is around 79% of the total development portfolio of P&SH sector. Hence out of 120 on-going schemes, 81would be completed.
Major sub-sector wise detail of P&SH sector is preventive healthcare is an essential prerequisite of a health system which is quick to respond to the needs of the inhabitants.
The government has firm belief that "Prevention is better than Cure". For this purpose, 09 schemes have been included in the ADP 2019-20 under preventive healthcare which are T.B Control Programme; strengthening of Expanded Programme for Immunisation (EPI); prevention and control of Hepatitis in Punjab; infection control Program; integrated Reproductive Maternal New Born & Child Health (IRMNCH) & Nutrition Program (Phase II); enhanced HIV/ AIDS Control Programme Punjab; prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases like Diabetes, Hypertension, Cancer etc.; communicable Disease Control Program; Chief Ministers Stunting Reduction Programme for 11 Southern districts of Punjab.
As per budget document, 07 new BHUs are going to be constructed in Union Councils of District Rawalpindi, Jhang, Mandi Bahauddin, Sialkot and Bahawalpur etc.; 12 BHUs are going to be upgraded into RHC while 03 new RHCs will be establishment at District Faisalabad and Khanewal. Further, 11 RHCs are going to be up-gradated during Financial Year 2019-20.
The Punjab government has revived the focus on the intermediate level of healthcare facilities to ensure accessibility and affordability of secondary and emergency services for residents of all districts. For this purpose, revamping of all existing Tehsil and District Headquarter Hospitals (THQ/DHQ) would not only refurbish the existing infrastructure of the medical facilities but also enable these to deliver the services at international standards by transferring these in to state-of-the-art facilities. Furthermore, Maternal, Neonatal and Child Mortality rates are very important indicators to assess the socio-economic development, quality of life and health status of a community. Therefore, government is very keen to achieve SDGs related to MMR and IMR by focusing on mother and child health.
Key initiatives in research and development are as restructuring and Re-modeling of DTL Rawalpindi; restructuring and Re-modeling of DTL Faisalabad; remodeling of Existing Bio Medical Workshops in Lahore; introduction of Testing Facility of Biological, Alternative Medicine & Medical Devices at DTL Lahore.
Total 39 new schemes have been included in the ADP 2019-20. Major of them are of Prime Minister Health Initiatives Punjab; establishment of 200 Bedded Mother & Child Hospitals and Nursing Colleges at Mianwali, Rajanpur and Layyah; establishment of 60 bedded Mother and Child Hospital at Ghalla Godam, Multan; up-gradation of THQ Hospital Taunsa, D.G Khan (from 100 to 190 bedded hospital; establishment of 60 Bedded Hospital at Jaurrian Chakri Road Rawalpindi; up-gradation of THQ Hospitals Taxila from 40 to 100 Bedded; up-gradation of RHC Mianwali Qureshian to 60 Bedded THQ Level Hospital, District Rahim Yar Khan; up-gradation of THQ Hospital Mian Channu, District Khanewal; expansion of Emergency Services at Major Shabbir Sharif Shaheed (Nishane-Haider) THQ Level Hospital Kunjah, District Gujrat and establishment of Dialysis Centre in Tehsil Noshera Virkan, District Gujranwala.
Total 95 schemes are likely to be completed during 2019-20. Major schemes are establishment of 500 Bedded Wah General Hospital Tehsil Taxila District Rawalpindi Phase-I (100 Bedded); establishment of Rural Health Centre at 374/GB, District Faisalabad; up gradation of RHC into 60 Bedded THQ Hospital Renala Khurd, District Okara; remodeling of Urban Health Facilities in South Punjab; up-gradation of THQ Hospital, Sammundari from 60 to 120 Bedded Hospital, District Faisalabad; up-gradation of DHQ Hospital, Toba Tek Singh; up-gradation of DHQ Hospital Narowal; establishment of 60 Bedded Hospital at Sabzazar Scheme, Lahore; establishment of 100 bedded Tehsil Level Hospital Manawan (Rakh Chabil), G.T. Road, Lahore; establishment of 60 Bedded THQ Hospital at Raiwind, District Lahore; up-gradation of DHQ Hospital Vehari as a 300 Bedded Hospital and up-gradation of DHQ Hospital Bahawalnagar.