State-of-the-art lab to be free of cost

Facillity to provide high-standard diagnostics and treatment facilities

LAHORE: Specialised Healthcare and Medical Education Secretary Najam Ahmed Shah said that a state-of-the-art central lab would be established in Lahore.

He said that the services of international institutions would be hired for its construction and tenders would soon be invited. He stated this during a meeting chaired by Punjab Specialised Healthcare and Medical Education Minister Khawaja Salman Rafiq to discuss projects to set up a central lab in Lahore.



The entity would be built in collaboration with the Ghazi Group and EMSEY Hospital in Ankara, Turkey. Decisions over the project with the Turkish groups were taken by Minister Khawaja Salman Rafiq and Health Secretary Najam Ahmed Shah.



Rafiq said that the basic objective to set up a state-of-the-art central lab was to provide high standard diagnostic and treatment facilities to patients. He further said that pathological services would be outsourced.

However, the facility would be provided to poor and deserving patients at no cost, according to the policy of the Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Rafiq further said that different options were being considered to establish the laboratory, including construction of a purpose-built construction in an open place or the hiring of a building. He said that both options were being discussed and decisions would be taken according to the recommendations of technical experts.



The Specialised Healthcare Secretary, while talking to Turkish experts, said the Punjab government ensure a transparent process for the prequalification of firms. He added international tenders would be invited soon to award the contract of the project.

Allama Iqbal Medical College Principal Prof Rashid Zia, Jinnah Hospital Medical Superintendent Dr Sohail Saqlain, Health Department Consultant Dr Zahid Pervaiz, Dr Yaddullah, Ghazi Group representatives Mehmet Dal, Alp Yarpuz, Neslihan Dal and Dr Jihad Mahli, representatives of Emsey Hospital, Ankara Murat Bultek and Murat Tutuncu, Punjab  Health Department Turkish Consultant Dr Hassan Kagil and other Punjab Health Department officers were also present during the meeting.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 3^rd, 2017.