Punjab Chief Minister Mian Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif on Monday said that provision of free medicines to poor people will continue throughout the province and resources required for this purpose will be provided at all costs. He said this while addressing the inaugural ceremony of "Aimcon Conference 2008" here at Allama Iqbal Medical College (AIMC).
"If we cannot serve the ailing humanity, we have no right to remain in power', he said. He added that the government is taking all possible steps for improvement of the health sector and as chief servant of Punjab, he will leave no stone unturned for improvement of health centres situated in every nook and corner of the province.
Shahbaz said that like other sectors, the condition of health sector also pathetic throughout the province and the performance of rural and basic health centres is very unsatisfactory where machinery worth millions of rupees is non-functional and neither doctors nor staff members were available for its use.
He said that hundreds and thousands of people are dyeing due to non-availability of medicines and treatment facilities and even medicine like Disprin was not available to them whereas rich people suffering from ordinary disease are enjoying the treatment facility abroad. This is not that Pakistan, the dream of which Quaid-e-Azam had seen and we cannot say it a welfare state, he added.
He further said that despite provision of all resources by the government, the condition of health sector did not improve and we will have to analyse who is responsible for it and we all will have to make ourselves accountable. He said: "We will have to bring revolution in the health sector and to work with devotion and only then we will be successful before Almighty Allah and the people."
He said that the present government is fully aware of its responsibilities and a comprehensive strategy has been evolved for provision of standardised medical facilities to the people and improvement of health sector. He said that 60 dialysis machines were imported by air and if we were successful in saving a precious life despite bearing additional expenses then it will be a great service.
He said that health authorities had informed him that the funds available for provision of free medicines to the people in the province have been utilised and this process should be discontinued but he rejected this proposal. Shahbaz said that steps are being taken on priority basis to provide best medical facilities to the people of the province and a comprehensive policy has been adopted to provide basic facilities in all the hospitals.
He said that besides provision of dialysis machines in all the District Headquarters Hospitals for free medical treatment of the kidney patients, a programme has also been chalked out for the availability of MRI and CT Scan machines in Divisional and District Headquarters Hospitals respectively.
He said that those students who have completed their education from Allama Iqbal Medical College are playing very important role in the medical research and the Aimcon Conference 2008 will leave a positive impact on the health sector.
He appreciated the performance of Dr Javed Akram Principal Allama Iqbal Medical College and said that this institution will make further progress under his leadership and will play its effective role for the provision of modern medical facilities to the people.
Earlier, addressing the conference, Principal Allama Iqbal Medical College Dr Javed Akram informed about the aims and objectives of the conference as well as performance of the college. He said that a number of new departments have been established in the college.
Dr Mehmood Alam, President, APPNA and Muhammad Babar Cheema, President, AIMCON also addressed the conference. The Chief Minister also gave away lifetime achievement award to Professor Mushtaq Haroon and Iqbalian Awards to Dr Babar Cheema and Dr Mehmood Alam for their best performance in health sector.
He also inaugurated MRI department, modern pathology laboratory and labour room at Jinnah Hospital. Moreover, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi called on Punjab Chief Minister Mian Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif, here. Matters regarding mutual interest as well as overall situation in the country came under discussion during the meeting.