Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) has demanded a budgetary increase from Rs 110 million to Rs 830 million for medicine, so that every needy patient could get the benefit of medicines easily. A senior doctor of Pims told Business Recorder that they have sent a request to the Ministry of Health few months ago but did not receive any response yet.
'The Rs 830 million includes buying of medicines besides helping the institute to get certain items like surgical equipment, X-ray machines and gas cylinders', he added. Later, the Executive Director, Pims, Dr Abdul Majeed Rajput said in a press conference that the institute has more than 1,000 beds with 100 percent occupancy rate. Nearly 2500-3000 patients from all over Pakistan, visit out patient department of Pims at its main Islamabad complex hospital, children hospital, mother and child health centre and burn centre.
'There should be a code of conduct for journalists' to cover stories at Pims hospitals as patients feel distressed to have photo-session in emergency after the disasters, bomb blasts and road accidents', he added.
Rajput also said, media centres at Pims will co-ordinate with the press after having feedback from the media committee, especially during emergencies. Further, he maintained that Pims administration is looking forward to arrange different workshops for media persons.
Later, he informed the newsmen that the emergency medicines including the life saving drugs are available at the Pims. Furthermore, he visited the ministry of health and discussed about the provision of free medicines to all indoor and outdoor the patients.
He said medical tower fund would be utilised for constructing 400-bed facility adding one more floor to the existing building. A committee comprising five journalists was also constituted for collaboration with Pims administration.
This committee, he said, will decide the agenda of press conferences and help in public health education by publishing research conducted on various diseases in Pims. Moreover, Rajput announced setting up a separate department of public health education and a model pharmacy at Pims.