The Punjab government has decided to expand Prime Minister National Health Insurance Programme across the province of Punjab and the provincial government would provide all possible resources for expansion of this great project.
In the first phase, PM Health Insurance Programme would be expanded to the South Punjab and all-out resources would be utilised to expand it to all 36 districts, Chief Minister Punjab Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, stated.
Shehbaz chaired a high level meeting, which lasted for four hours and reviewed the steps taken to improve the healthcare system and expanded the scope of the PM National Health Insurance Programme.
The Chairman CM Inspection Team presented the initial investigation report on implantation of sub-standard stents to patents in Mayo Hospital.
The meeting also reviewed the public private partnership model for the construction of new hospitals.
Speaking on the occasion, Shehbaz said the PM National Health Insurance Programme was a great project and it would be expanded to whole of the Punjab in phases. He ordered the authorities concerned to prepare a road-map for the PM Health Insurance Programme.
"We have to change the system, which provides best health facilities to the rich and the poor die without getting any medical aid," he said, adding:
"State is responsible for providing standardised health facilities to the citizens and we will discharge this responsibility at any cost."
Shehbaz said time was ripe to change the cruel system which had been prevailing for decades and if this rotten system was not changed the revolution would replace it. "We have to correct this system and proceed forward in a professional way. It is the time for action, not for rhetoric."
He said that beds would be obtained in the private hospitals from the resources of Punjab government to provide health facilities to poor patients. He ordered the authorities to demarcate pieces of land for the establishment of hospitals at the divisional headquarters under the public private partnership.
Shehbaz said a new system was being introduced for the purchase transportation distribution and the storage of medicines and with this system based on modern technology embezzlement and corruption would be uprooted so that provision of medicines to the common man could be ensured.
He said that Punjab government would setup its own warehouses for storage of medicines and get support from the partnership from Health Ministry of Turkey in this regard and by the end of current, five warehouses would be set up. He said that all development projects in Punjab were being completed transparently and health projects would be carried out under this strategy.
He said for completion of health care system, a cabinet committee has been established which has been provided revolving fund amounting to Rs 100 million. He said that there should not be any complaint of non-provision of ventilators in government hospitals.
He said that vice-chancellor King Edwards Medical University would present a report on alleged death of a female patent in the services hospital due to non -availability of ventilator. He said that a strategy has been evolved to overcome the shortage of nephrologists in government hospitals. He directed the authorities to pursue uniform strategy regarding the purchase of stents.
CEO Indus Hospital Dr Abdul Bari said the determination and hard work with which CM Shehbaz Sharif working to reform the health was matchless and that his efforts would produce positive results. Provincial Ministers Kh. Salman Rafiq, Kh. Imran Nazir, Dr Ayesha Ghaus Pasha, Advisor Umar Saif, Chief Secretary, Additional Chief Secretary, Secretary Health, Health Experts and concerning officers also attended the meeting.