Punjab to get five mother and child hospitals

A state-of-the-art mother and child centre will also be established at Sir Gangaram Hospital

LAHORE: At least five mother and child hospitals will be set up in five districts of the province. In order to strengthen health services in the public sector, the government of Punjab will establish these hospitals with the financial help of US-AID.

A delegation, led by US-AID Director Health Sangeeta Patel, called on Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid on Monday and discussed various ongoing joint projects in the health sector.

The minister said the Punjab government strongly believed in taking solid initiatives to save the lives of mothers and children.

She told the delegation that for the first time in the history of Pakistan, five hospitals, exclusively for mother and child, would be set up in as many different districts. This is in addition to a state-of-the-art mother and child centre at Sir Gangaram Hospital.

"The provision of health facilities at the grassroots level will also be ensured," said Dr Rashid. She added that the targets of the health sector would be achieved at the district level and a special monitoring cell had been established to monitor development schemes at districts.

Dr Rashid said that emergency wards at hospitals were being improved and a strict mechanism would be installed to check the attendance of health staff.

Sangeeta Patel, while acknowledging the initiatives for the improvement of the public health sector, said Punjab was playing a leading role in strengthening health services. "US-AID will enhance its cooperation to achieve certain goals. Mother and Child Hospitals will definitely reduce mortality rate during deliveries.

"We are ready to provide all possible technical and financial support for the establishment of mother and child hospitals."