The Punjab Social Security Department will increase beds in its hospitals from 1400 to 3500, the Social Security Department Commissioner Tahir Naqvi said here on Tuesday.
"In first phase, under directive of the Chief Minister, the existing 1400 beds would be increased to 2400 beds, while in the second phase, the number would reach 3500 all over the province", he said while talking to senior executives of the Rawalpindi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI).
The Social Security Commissioner visited the chamber and called upon the industrialists to ensure the registration of their workers and deposit their social security contributions in time.
Naqvi said in the first phase, 1000 bed-capacity hospitals would be constructed in the province. Four 100-bed hospitals were presently under-construction at Shahdara, Sialkot, Muzaffargarh and Gujrat and additional 50 beds would be provided to the existing hospitals in Multan and Islamabad.
He said the setting up of four 100-bed hospitals at Taxila, Chakwal, Toba Tek Singh and Khushab were being planned.
The Social Security Commissioner said Rawalpindi region of the department was running in deficit of Rs 25 million. The main cause was negligence of the industrialists in registering their workers and payment of due share for the Social Security Fund, he added.
"Every worker drawing salary over Rs 5000 is entitled to be treated in the Social Security Hospitals while workers registered with Rs 5000 or less salary would also get benefit from the fund," he added.