Public health: Revamp of four teaching hospitals underway

Token system to be introduced at Jinnah Hospital

LAHORE: Specialised Healthcare and Medical Education Secretary Najam Ahmed Shah said on Monday that work was underway to revamp facilities at four teaching hospitals at a cost of Rs2 billion. He said the work would be completed this year. He was speaking at a ceremony to kick off renovation work at Jinnah Hospital.

Shah said renovations would also be carried out this year at Allied Hospital in Faisalabad, Benazir Bhutto Hospital in Rawalpindi and Children Hospital in Multan.

At Jinnah Hospital, he said a token system would be introduced in the Emergency Department to improve efficiency of operations. He said counters would be set up where patients would get a token and wait for their turn to be examined by a medical practitioner.

Shah said five desks would be set aside for treatment of patients with minor diseases. He said doctors would be available at these desks round the clock. He said those in serious condition would be referred to the ward. Two attendants would be allowed in the wards with a patient, he said. He said trainings had been arranged for the staff to acquaint them with the new system.

Shah said patients up to 12 years of age would be referred to the Pediatric Emergency. He said if needed minor alterations could be made to the design of the building.  He said the new system would facilitate the patients and enable medical professionals provide better treatment facilities to them.

The meeting was also attended by Allama Iqbal Medical College Principal Mahmood Shaukat, Jinnah Hospital Medical Superintendent  Shafqat Ali, AIMC faculty members, Additional Health Secretary (Development) Zaheer Abbas Malik, Additional Admin Secretary Asad Naeem, Chief Planning Officer Abdul Haq Bhatti and representatives from Mckinsey and Company (consultants).

38 mobile service units distributed among district staff Population Welfare Minister Zakia Shahnawaz has said the department has started 38 mobile service units (MSUs) and set up clinics in 19 districts across the province.

She said the 38 MSUs would provide basic medical facilities including information on birth control methods in far off areas.Shahnawaz was speaking at a meeting to distribute keys and documents for the MSUs among the district staff concerned.

The meeting also discussed proposals about upgrade of the clinics. The minister said that the department would improve provision of medicine at these clinics, revamp infrastructure and arrange air conditioning for the buildings of the clinics. She said transport facility would be available for couples from remote areas to visit the clinics to discuss birth control issues.

She said the MSUs would be equipped with facilities to perform emergency surgical procedures. Each MSU would have a staff of four paramedics and a gynecologist.

Earlier, she distributed keys and documents of the MSUs’ vehicles among the population welfare officers of Rajanpur, Sahiwal, Sialkot, Khushab, Jhang, Rahim Yar Khan, Pakpattan, Narowal, Multan, Mandi Bahauddin, Lahore, Chakwal, Bhawalpur, Faisalabad, Khanewal, Lodhran and Muzafargarh districts.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 23^rd, 2016.