Punjab govt expanding capacity of University of Child Health Sciences: Minister Salman

LAHORE, Jun 18 (APP): Punjab Health Minister Khawaja Salman Rafique has said that the Punjab government is steadily increasing the capacity of the University of Child Health Sciences and directed the Infrastructure Development Authority Punjab (IDAP) to complete the institution’s main building within the stipulated timeframe.

He expressed these views while chairing the 16th Syndicate meeting of the University of Child Health Sciences on Thursday. The meeting approved a number of important decisions aimed at strengthening the academic, administrative and medical capabilities of the university.

Addressing the participants, the minister said that the University of Child Health Sciences holds a unique distinction as Pakistan’s first medical institution dedicated to the training of pediatric nurses. He added that the government is formulating a uniform policy to resolve issues being faced by medical institutions across Punjab.

Khawaja Salman Rafique said that regular syndicate meetings of medical institutions have been made mandatory to ensure timely resolution of issues in government hospitals. He reiterated the government’s commitment to transforming public hospitals into the best healthcare facilities and directed all medical institutions to promote high-quality research activities.

At the outset of the meeting, Registrar Prof. Muhammad Nasir Rana presented the agenda. The syndicate ratified all decisions taken during its 15th meeting and reviewed an implementation report on those decisions. Officials of IDAP also briefed participants on the progress of the university’s main building and presented the proposed traffic management plan.

The syndicate approved the appointment of deans for various faculties, recruitment of teaching staff and other statutory positions, as well as extensions of existing appointments. Appointments recommended through the selection board were also endorsed. In addition, the meeting approved the resubmission of SAP software charges, budget allocations for the university and the creation of posts in the audit department.

Among major academic developments, the syndicate approved the budget and recruitment process for establishing a College of Pharmacy. It also approved naming the university’s new auditorium after Prof. Dr. Masood Sadiq. The meeting further sanctioned the launch of an MPhil programme in Histopathology and approved one-year funded training in Pediatric Plastic Surgery.

The syndicate also approved specialized training in Pediatric Neuro-Oncology in Bangladesh and recommended that the Government of Pakistan coordinate with the Bangladeshi government through the Foreign Office for implementation. The Pediatric Hematology-Oncology Department was granted approval for affiliation with the American University of Beirut Medical Center for an ongoing clinical trial.

In a significant decision, the meeting approved a pediatric kidney transplantation model at Children’s Hospital Lahore. The programme will be implemented in collaboration with Jinnah Hospital Lahore and transplant surgeons from the United Kingdom. The formation of the University Management Committee was also approved.

The meeting was attended by Members of the Punjab Assembly Adnan Chhata and Ishrat Ashraf, Vice Chancellor Prof. Masood Sadiq, Prof. Sajid Maqbool, Additional Secretary Medical Education Sidra Saleem, Director Budget and Finance Hammad Al-Rab, Pro Vice Chancellor Prof. Junaid Rashid, MD Prof. Tipu Sultan, principals of the College of Allied Health Sciences and College of Nursing, and representatives from the Finance and Law Departments. Vice Chancellor of the University of Health Sciences Prof. Ahsan Waheed Rathore, Islamic Aid representative Mahmoodul Hassan, Additional Secretary HEC Zahida Azhar, Saifullah Sumbal and other members joined the meeting through video link.