Punjab Health Minister, Chaudhry Muhammad Iqbal has said that the Punjab government had brought revolutionary reforms under the leadership of Chief Minister Punjab, Chaudhry Pervaiz Ellahi, for expanding the range of medical facilities.
But still, the services of private sector for supplementing the efforts for providing treatment to the ailing patients and extension of health cover facilities was of vital significance and importance. He said this while inaugurating the Neuro-Surgery Ward in Faisalabad International (Trust) Hospital, here on Wednesday. EDO Health Dr Muhammad Javaid, DO Health Dr Rana Imran Ali Khan, Chairman Board of Trustees Dr Irfan and other doctors were also present on this occasion.
The minister said that as a results of the revolutionary steps taken in health sector, each and every basic health unit and rural health centre of the province was fully operational and effective with the doctors, paramedical staff and medicines etc, being provided there as per need & requirements. Likewise, besides cities, the medical treatment facilities had also been made available for the 60 percent population of the province living in the rural areas.
The minister said that in addition to the up-gradation of district and Tehsil headquarters hospitals, the emergency services of teaching hospitals had been strengthened and even most costly medicines were being provided free to the patients brought in emergency there.
The minister visited different wards of the hospital and appreciated the medical facilities being provided to the patients. He said that the hospitals equipped with the modern diagnostic facilities and quality treatment become the focus of peoples' eyes and urged the private sector to come forward in the field of healthcare for providing latest health care facilities. He said that the government was willing to further expand the medical treatment facilities through the public-private partnership.
Chairman Board of Trustees, Dr Ifran apprised the minister of hospital's performance and the latest medical equipment and diagnostic facilities available there. Later, Chaudhry Muhammad Iqbal held meeting with the doctors & paramedics of Allied and DHQs hospitals besides meeting the health department officers. Chairman Board of Governors, Mian Muhammad Latif was also present during the meeting.
Addressing the doctors, the minister said that Chief Minister Punjab, Chaudhry Pervaiz Ellahi had provided funds for strengthening the health sector very generously under which different incentives and facilities were being provided to the doctors, so it was their professional as well as moral obligation to perform their duties with a missionary zeal. He urged the doctors to carry the successful results of the steps being taken by the government to the people in the provision of health facilities. He lauded the efforts of Dr Javed Iqbal made in connection with the establishment of state of the art CCU in DHQ Hospital on self-help basis.
While giving briefing to the minister about the up-gradation of different departments, Principal Punjab Medical College Dr Asghar Ali Randhawa and Acting Medical Superintendent Allied Hospital Dr Rana Bashir Ahmad said that the projects of diagnostic facility of MRI, nursing units, provision of high power generator and air-conditioning of medical students' classes in accordance with chief minister's announcement were in the pipeline.
Medical Superintendent District Headquarters Hospital, Dr Hamed Imtiaz, while throwing light over the performance of the hospital said that the facilities of CT scan machine were fully operational. Dr Zahid Yasin Hashmi said that the liver centre of DHQs hospital, had played a trend-setters role throughout the country and emergency facilities were being provided to the patients admitted there round the clock.
Dr Rasul Chaudhry said that facilities of a qualified orthopaedic surgeon had been made available round the clock in emergency block of Allied Hospital. The EDO Health Dr Muhammad Javed, DO Health Dr Rana Muhammad Imran Ali Khan, Dr Rashed Maqbool, Professor Dr Zahid Iqbal, Professor Dr Farooq Ahmad Mian, Dr Aamir Shaukat, Dr Sultan Mahmood, Main Kamaluddin and other doctors and officers of health department attended the meeting.