Important steps are being taken towards implementing revolutionary and historic initiatives in the health sector of the Punjab government, under which more than Rs 18 billion has so far been provided to patients through various special health programs in approved hospitals.
Punjab govt provides over Rs 18 bln under special health programs
LAHORE, Jun 04 (APP): Important steps are being taken towards implementing revolutionary and historic initiatives in the health sector of the Punjab government, under which more than Rs 18 billion has so far been provided to patients through various special health programs in approved hospitals.
This was informed in the 113th meeting of the Board of Directors of the Punjab Health Initiative Management Company (PHIMC), held on Thursday under the chairmanship of Punjab Health Minister Khawaja Salman Rafique. The meeting reviewed in detail various flagship projects of the Chief Minister Punjab in the health sector. The board approved the minutes of the 111th and 112th meetings and also signed an agreement with the Punjab Life Insurance Company. A detailed discussion was held regarding agreements related to different health programs, while board members presented their suggestions and recommendations.
Speaking on the occasion, Provincial Health Minister Khawaja Salman Rafique said that historic and fundamental reforms are being introduced in the health sector. He said that under the Chief Minister’s Adult Cardiac Surgery Program, free treatment facilities worth more than Rs 3 billion are being provided annually to heart patients.
He further said that under the Chief Minister’s Special Initiative for Cancer Patients, free diagnostic, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, surgical and medical treatment facilities worth Rs 13 billion are being provided annually. Under the Stroke Management Program, treatment facilities worth over Rs 3 billion will be provided to stroke patients every year.
He added that under the Chief Minister’s Children’s Heart Surgery Program, more than 13,025 children have received completely free heart surgeries across the province. He said that children from other provinces also benefited from the program, including 537 from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 329 from Azad Kashmir, 131 from Islamabad, 39 from Balochistan, 49 from Gilgit-Baltistan and 35 from Sindh.
The minister said that under the Transplant Program, 1,956 transplants have been performed so far, including 960 renal, 601 cochlear, 315 liver, 40 bone marrow and 40 corneal transplants. Under the Dialysis Program, more than 1.84 million patients have received free treatment, while over 42,093 patients have been registered so far.
He said the government is utilizing all available resources to ensure the best possible healthcare facilities for the public.
Provincial Secretary Specialized Healthcare and Medical Education Azmat Mahmood said that maximum facilities must be ensured for patients in empaneled hospitals and that issues faced by patients should be resolved on a priority basis.
The meeting was attended by senior officials and board members, including Health Economist Dr. Muhammad Adnan Khan, Additional Secretary Finance Khurram Aziz, Member Health P&D Shafaat Ali, Board Member Parveen Agha, Director PITB Nosheen Fayyaz, Board Member Dr. Shujaat Ali, former DG Health Punjab Dr. Zahid Pervez, CEO PHIMC Dr. Ali Razaq, CEO Punjab Healthcare Commission Dr. Saqib Aziz and others, with some participants joining via video link.
