Govt not privatizing any public sector hospital: Yasmeen

LAHORE: Punjab Minister for Health Dr Yasmeen Rashid Saturday said that under Medical Teaching Institutions Act, the government was not going to privatize any public sector hospital.

She said that revolutionary measures were being taken by the government for further facilitating the people in the health sector.

These views were expressed by her during a joint press conference with Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Information and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan and Punjab Minister for Information Mian Aslam Iqbal here at DGPR office.

Dr Yasmeen strongly condemned the rumours and speculations regarding the privatization of public sector hospitals. She said that the government was spending Rs.45 lakh annually on one batch in any government hospital.

She said that basic purpose to introduce MTI Act was to ensure the provision of best healthcare facilities to a common man.

Neither administrative nor financial power was given to any government hospital in the act introduced in 2003.

She said that by bringing better administration under the MTI Act, quality healthcare facilities would be ensured to the patients in public sector hospitals.

Dr Yasmeen said that medical and hospitals directors would be appointed in government hospitals who would be fully responsible in all the affairs of hospitals.

She said that during one year, PTI government had recruited more than 15000 doctors on merit. Sehat Insaaf Cards were distributed to the common man in the 28 districts of the Punjab under which family would be able to access medical facilities up to Rs. 720,000 free of cost, minister said.

Annually three audits would be conducted to all teaching institutions under the MTI Act and board of governors would be changed any time for negligence, said Dr Yasmeen adding that performance report of medical teaching institutions would be presented in the assembly and promotions of doctors of professors would be linked with performance.

She said that the government had fully right to ask about the performance after giving the employment. She said that the government wanted to run outdoor even in the evening timing under this act.

She said that treatment expenditures of the deserving patients in outdoors would bear by government. She said that provision of best healthcare facilities in the government hospitals of Punjab was the basic point of manifesto of PTI government.

Dr. Yasmeen said that the system of government hospitals had been ruined due to the former governments.

Firdous Ashiq Awan said that providing relief to the people by introducing reforms in every sector of life was the top priority of the Prime Minister Imran Khan. One year performance of Punjab government was highly appreciable.

She said that PTI government formulated policies by focusing on the solution of problems of the common man.

Provincial Minister Mian Aslam Iqbal said that confusion was being created among the masses regarding Medical Institution Act. The government believes in spending peoples money on peoples welfare,he added.