Aabpara maternity hospital to get children ward: Mirza

SAPM on health says monitoring Polyclinic reforms committee

ISLAMABAD: A maternity care hospital being set up in Aabpara will soon get a 40-bed ward for children while a public dispensary in Sector G-7/3 will get a dental department.

This was announced by the Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Health Dr Zafar Mirza on Wednesday while visiting the Federal Government (Polyclinic) Hospital.

Announcing major steps towards improving the health sector in Islamabad, the SAPM said, “The performance of public hospitals is being improved on the directions of PM Imran Khan.” Dr Mirza said he was personally monitoring a reforms committee which has been set up to bring improvement in the service and infrastructure of Polyclinic.

“There is as a need to take revolutionary measures in the health sector,” he said, adding that the government is utilising all possible resources to ensure the delivery of quality services at public hospitals.  The management of healthcare facilities, doctors and paramedical staff will have to work diligently to bring about positive change in public health delivery, he explained.

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During the visit, Dr Mirza inspected different wards, asked patients about the services they were getting and directed the hospital administration to ensure the uninterrupted provision of medicines.

Meanwhile, the SAPM claimed that around 50,000 actions have been taken in response to complaints received on the online portal on the illegal increase in prices of medicines after Premier Imran Khan directed a 15 per cent reduction in the rates.

“We have introduced an online facility through which people can verify the prices of medicines and register their complaints against overcharging,” he said. "I am personally looking into the matter and will not tolerate any illegal or unauthorised increase in prices of medicines,” he added. Moreover, he said that the Drug Regulatory Authority (DRAP) has set up a task force to conduct market surveys to determine the extent of overpricing.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 9^th, 2020.