Punjab Minister for Primary & Secondary Health Kh. Imran Nazir has said that by introducing new initiatives and reforms, the visible improvement can be seen in the working of public sector hospitals and other health programs in Punjab. He said that Punjab has best healthcare facilities in the country and the critics should visit the hospitals of other provinces before making criticism on Punjab healthcare system.
He said this while addressing the monthly conference of medical superintendents of districts and tehsil headquarters hospitals in a local hotel, here on Sunday. Besides, Secretary Primary & Secondary Health Ali Jan Khan, Special Secretary Dr Faisal Zahoor, Additional Secretary Admin Dr Farooq Manzoor, Provincial Director Mother & Child Health Program Dr Mukhtiar Hussain Syed, Dr Akhtar Rasheed Malik, Directors of different health programs, members of Project Management Unit, IT experts and the medical superintendents attended the meeting. The meeting reviewed the performance and steps taken for hepatitis, TB and dengue control at grassroots level.
Moreover, the meeting reviewed the implementation on Minimum Service Delivery Standards (MSDS), provision of medicines, cleanliness and hygiene conditions, infection control, attendance of the staff and disciplinary matters. Kh. Imran Nazir appreciated the performance of medical superintendents and other staff. Secretary Health Ali Jan Khan said that after completion of revamping of 40 DHQ/THQ hospitals, the second phase of revamping of remaining THQ hospitals has been started during which all the matters relating to the improvement in infrastructure of the hospitals, capacity building and training of the staff, improvement in their performance and expansion of medical facilities would be covered in the programs.
Secretary Health directed the medical superintendents to take effective steps to control the incidents of violence in the hospitals for which disciplinary steps should be taken as well as counselling of attendants of the patients also be focused. Kh. Imran Nazir disclosed that after visiting Peshawar and observing health facilities in connection with dengue control, doctors of Punjab's hospitals are looking like angles. He said that despite holidays the officers and the staff of the health department performed their duties. He said that yesterday the conference of DDOs health was held in Lahore and today despite Sunday the monthly conference of medical superintendents has been called to evaluate the performance of the hospitals. Kh. Imran Nazir further said that first time in the history of the province high quality medicines have been provided in the public sector hospitals in Punjab.