Cabinet okays plan for emergency medical centres along highways

PM’s health card programme expanded to whole province

QUETTA: The Balochistan cabinet on Saturday gave go-ahead to a plan for setting up emergency medical and response centres along the highways in the province and directed the health department to make all the basic health units (BHUs) functional to help save lives after road accidents.

A cabinet meeting, chaired by Chief Minister Jam Kamal Khan Aliyani, also directed the officials concerned to ensure availability of emergency medical equipment at the BHUs as well as ambulances and fire brigade and emergency response training to the medical staff.

The Peoples’ Primary Healthcare Initiative (PPHI) will run the project under the guidelines set by the health department, while the Emergency Medical and Response Centres would be connected with district hospitals to save lives in case of accidents on the national highways.

During the meeting, the ministers unanimously approved expansion of the Prime Minister Health Programme from five districts to the entire province. They directed the department concern to ensure merit in the issuance of the health cards.



“The provincial government has been utilising all available resources to revamp the health, education and infrastructure in the province,” the chief minister told the meeting. “The government is responsible for taking the right decisions in the interest of the people of Balochistan,” he added.

The ministers also green-lighted a deal with the federal government to establish hospitals in Balochistan for patients with burn injuries. As per the agreement, the provincial government would release funds for the hospitals.

The cabinet decided to constitute a committee to ensure adequate utilisation of funds in the health department. It also directed the food department to ensure the required quantity of iodine in edible items.

The cabinet approved the Balochistan Mental Health Act 2019, which aims at providing appropriate care and treatment to the patients suffering from mental diseases. The government has decided to protect the properties of the patients admitted for mental treatment.



The government approved a bill to impose 1% tax on air planes, transport vehicles and boats entering Balochistan from other countries. The revenue generated through this levy would be utilised for provincial infrastructure development.

The other agenda items of the meeting included a brief discussion on the Local Government Act. The cabinet decided to form a committee headed by the local government minister to develop consensus with other parties on amending the act and submit recommendations.

The cabinet directed the local government department to submit its recommendations on upgradation of various union councils and wards. The ministers also approved release of Rs1 billion for the expansion of various roads in the provincial capital.

“We have been taking measure to increase the capacity of all provincial departments that would be helpful in increasing the revenue,” Kamal said, adding that timely and appropriate utilisation of resources would help provide speedy relief to the masses.