The government is procuring high quality medicines from multinational pharmaceutical companies and well reputed national pharmaceutical companies for free distribution among the patients. A spokesman of Punjab health department said that as per directions of Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif, provincial government has allocated huge funds for providing medicines to the patients free of cost in the public sector hospitals.
During current fiscal year, Rs 20.412 billion have been allocated for this purpose in tertiary care hospitals whereas in the previous year, 2016-17, the allocation was of Rs 13.604 billion, he said. Similarly, primary and secondary health department has allocated Rs 12 billion to provide free medicines in the hospitals under their administrative control. In previous year, this amount was of Rs 7.5 billion.
The spokesman said that as compared to total allocation of Rs 21 billion in the last year, the government has allocated Rs 32 billion for this purpose in this year. He said that the issue of discrimination between poor and rich has been addressed and quality medicines are being provided to all in public sector hospitals.