Health secretary orders speedy revamp of hospitals

Says this will enable renovation of another 85 facilities by next year

LAHORE: The administrations of district and tehsil headquarters hospitals should ensure the completion of renovation work at 40 medical facilities by October 2017, ordered Primary and Secondary Health Secretary Ali Jan Khan.

He said this would enable the revamp of the remaining 85 hospitals to start by next year. The secretary was addressing a conference of medical superintendents of all hospitals on Sunday. He directed the administrations to ensure minimum service delivery standards (MSDS).

Ali said special measures should be taken for infection control, cleanliness and maintenance of a hygienic environment in hospitals. He added SOPs set by the Punjab Healthcare Commission should also be followed.

The meeting reviewed the procurement of medicines for next year and their availability for patients. Progress in upgrading emergency departments, setting up intensive care and burn units in every DHQ hospital was also put under the microscope.

A new system to deliver medicines for hepatitis, TB and AIDS patients through courier was also discussed. Ali ordered an appropriate monitoring system to check the delivery initiative and ensure that drugs are delivered in a timely manner. The secretary was of the view that the main objective of all reforms and development schemes was to ensure quality health services to patients at the local level.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, July 24^th, 2017.