Chief Minister Punjab Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif Sunday expressed his firm resolve to ensure provision of quality and modern medical facilities to people. "With hard work and determination, steps are being taken to improve the healthcare system. We had to move forward to serve the ailing humanity. All out resources were available for the provision of better medical facilities to the people," Shahbaz said while chairing a high level meeting, which reviewed progress on the steps taken to improve the healthcare system and ongoing reform programs in the health sector.
Addressing the meeting, Shahbaz said that provision of quality and modern medical facilities to people is his mission which will be fulfilled at all costs. "The Prime Minister National Health Insurance Program was successfully running in four districts of the province and the scope of this program would be extended to all districts of the province of Punjab," he said.
He said that Punjab government had introduced modern system of purchase, supply and distribution of medicines and this new system would end sale of counterfeit and substandard medicines. He added that samples of medicines were being sent to foreign labs for examination and those who were performing well in collecting samples of medicines and sending them to foreign labs would be encouraged. This new system of purchase, supply and distribution of medicines was an important step for the provision of quality medicines to the patients, he said.
Shahbaz said that the program aimed at providing CT Scan Machines in all districts was being implemented. He also directed for the audit of dialyses machines installed in all government hospitals and to take immediate steps to overcome the shortage of nephrologists in government hospitals. He claimed that mobile health units were providing quality medical facilities to people at their doorsteps in far flung areas. He directed to complete the matter regarding the purchase of more mobile health units. He also directed to present a comprehensive plan for blood bank, blood collection and blood transfer.
He said that motorbikes ambulance service would be introduced soon in 9 divisions of the province and the training for staff of motorbikes ambulance service was going on. The Punjab government has handed over the administration of ambulance service of the hospitals from health department to Rescue 1122.