Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif presided over a level meeting which reviewed development of health sector, reforms in 40 hospitals of the province and installation of incinerators regarding hospital waste management. According approval to setting up of Punjab Public Health Agency in principle, Shahbaz also gave approval to recommendations with regard to organisational structure and other affairs of Punjab Public Health Agency.
He said that affairs of Punjab Public Health Agency will be entrusted with Primary & Secondary Health Department and the role of this institution is of paramount importance in connection with improvement of healthcare system. Therefore, all the matters regarding establishment of the institution should be settled at earliest as Punjab Public Health Agency has to be made a useful, purposeful and result-oriented institution, he added. He said that setting up of an effective mechanism, purposeful and active institution to lessen the burden of diseases is need of the hour.
The CM directed concerned authorities to bring capable, high standard and professional workforce in the institution. He said that Institute of Public Health has failed in achieving its objectives and targets and it could not discharge basic responsibilities like surveillance and response of diseases, research and data compiling. Therefore, reforms in Institute of Public Health are need of the hour, he added. He said that work of installation of incinerators for hospital waste management in government hospitals should be forwarded speedily. He said that system of outsourcing janitorial, security, parking and other services is a game changer in changing the condition of the hospitals. He said that condition of hospitals is being improved through outsourcing these services, therefore, process of outsourcing janitorial and other services should be completed rapidly and a third-party validation be also conducted in this regard.
He said that process of reforms is successfully continuing in 40 DHQ hospitals and added that improving medical facilities in the hospitals is his mission which will be fulfilled at all costs. He said that work should be carried out with determination and enthusiasm for providing best medical facilities to the patients in the hospitals. He said that reforms in health sector are yielding positive results and huge budget in the history of the province has been given for health sector. He said that fruits of every penny of resources allocated for health sector should reach the masses and added that service to ailing humanity is responsibility of all of us and all out resources are available in this regard. He said that we have to move ahead through working with determination and devotion.
Provincial Ministers Khawaja Salman Rafiq, Khawaja Imran Nazir, Advisor Dr Umer Saif, Chief Secretary, Additional Chief Secretary, Secretaries Health, Finance, health experts and concerned officials were present on the occasion.