Beds to be added at four DHQ hospitals

"It is our responsibility to improve healthcare system,” says CM Shahbaz

LAHORE: Several programmes for healthcare sector were approved at a meeting on Thursday presided over by Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

The meeting decided that the number of beds in Sahiwal, Dera Ghazi Khan, Sialkot and Gujranwala district headquarters hospitals would be raised to 500 and that these hospitals would be linked to medical colleges in these cities.

The meeting also approved financial and administrative autonomy to medical superintendents of district and tehsil headquarters hospitals.

The funds would be transferred directly to the medical superintendents of the hospitals, the chief minister said.

He said the medical superintendents would be authorised to take action against doctors in grade 17, nurses and other staff and would be responsible in improvement of health facilities at the hospitals.

The chief minister said action would be taken against manufacturers and sellers of substandard medicines.

He said it had been decided that the system for purchase and delivery to public hospitals would be computerised.

He said Khawaja Imran Nazir would chair the task-force charged with the elimination of substandard drugs.

The chief minister also approved reforms for reorganisation of Provincial Quality Control Board and ordered action against drug inspectors involved in corruption.

He said that the office of chief drug controller would also be reorganised.

“Billions of rupees have been allocated for provision of medical facilities. It is our responsibility to improve healthcare system,” he said.

The chief minister said a third-party audit of all major projects of the Health Department should be conducted.

He said cleanliness and air conditioning should be maintained.

The meeting also gave approval for purchase of biomedical machinery and equipments.

Sharif approved the appointment of a bio-medical engineer in each district.

“The private sector will be encouraged to set up bio-medical workshops,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 15^th, 2016.