Punjab set for universal health cover

CM Buzdar pledges Rs1m annual medical facility for all families by March 31

LAHORE:

Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar said on Saturday that every family of Punjab would be able by March 31 to avail free of charge healthcare facilities costing up to Rs1 million annually under the Rs400 billion Universal Health Insurance Programme.

Speaking to Punjab Health Minister Yasmeen Rashid who apprised him about various ongoing projects for provision of quality health services to the people of the province, he termed the insurance programme a historic welfare project of the PTI government. The chief minister called for early completion of the health sector projects, adding that work had been started on setting up a new emergency block and trauma centres in Jinnah Hospital.

He said the foundation stone of an emergency block and trauma centre in Services Hospital would soon be laid as well. Chief Minister Buzdar said the setting up of three emergency blocks and trauma centres in Lahore would increase the health sector capacity by 800 beds.

He said Rs400 billion was being spent on Universal Health Insurance Programme that would cover every family of Punjab by then end of the current month.

He maintained that the University of Child Health Sciences would be a state-of-the-art institution for diagnosing and providing healthcare facilities to children. The university will promote research and development in diagnosing children’s diseases besides providing healthcare facilities to them.

The chief minister said the district hospital and healthcare centre projects should be completed at the earliest and work on the Mother and Child Hospital projects should also be expedited. He said transparency and standard of the projects of the health sector should be ensured.

The principal secretary to the CM and secretary of specialised healthcare and medical education were also present on the occasion.

Federal and provincial ministers and assembly members also called on Chief Minister Buzdar in Kamalia and apprised him of ongoing development projects in Kamalia and Toba Tek Singh. The chief minister said on the occasion that several development projects had been launched in Toba Tek Singh. Under the Annual Development Programme, as many as 407 ongoing and new development projects in the district will cost Rs5 billion, while Rs1.3 billion will be spent on 171 projects of community development.

Moreover, 474 sustainable development schemes would be completed at a cost of Rs890 million, while Rs500 million would be spent on the construction and expansion of roads for easy access from fields to markets.

The chief minister said new projects of Ts4 billion were being launched in Toba Tek Singh under the district development programme.

“Solving the problems of every city of the province, including Kamalia and Toba Tek Singh, is our core responsibility,” he asserted.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Buzdar reiterated his order of strict enforcement of the ban on kite flying and indiscriminate action against the violators. He issued instructions for the best treatment facilities for two citizens injured due to kite string in the provincial capital.

The chief minister also asserted in a statement that millions of party workers were going towards Islamabad on the call of Prime Minister Imran Khan. He said the people were fully aware that Prime Minister Khan was a genuine leader.

He reaffirmed that he was standing by the prime minister who had successfully come out of every crisis and put the country in the right direction.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 27^th, 2022.