Punjab Caretaker Chief Minister Ejaz Nisar has ordered an operation against the elements involved in the heinous trade of spurious drugs so that quality medicines could be made available to the people. He was presiding over a meeting here on Monday, which reviewed the pace of implementation of Health Sector Reforms Programme, an official said.
Provincial Health Minister Aslam Humayun, Chief Secretary Salman Siddique, Planning and Development Chairman Suleman Ghani, Finance Secretary Sohail Ahmed, Health Secretary Anwaar Ahmed Khan and other officers also attended the meeting.
The CM also directed the concerned officials to improve the system of monitoring for evaluating the efficiency of drug inspectors. He commended the strategy evolved for the provision of medical treatment and medicines to the patients brought to the emergency wards of hospitals.
According to him, the government is attaching due importance to the provision of medical facilities in far-flung areas along with the cities so that standard of living of rural masses could be improved. The salary of doctors posted at rural hospitals has been increased while they have also been granted permission for private practice--after duty hours.
Performance of basic health centres has substantially improved as a result of health sector reforms programme. Institutes of Cardiology of international standard have been set up in Multan and Faisalabad where state-of-the-art infrastructure, modern equipment and diagnostic laboratories have been provided.
He said free medical facilities are being extended to patients in emergency wards of all teaching hospitals in the province. The government is spending huge funds on the provision of modern health facilities to the masses, he added.
The CM lauded the services of Emergency Rescue 1122 Service and directed that the scope of the service should be extended to maximum number of cities. Chief Secretary Salman said that Punjab Health Foundation would be restructured on the pattern of Education Foundation. Excellent facilities of emergency are being made available in the hospitals, he added.