50% patients at PKLI may get free treatment

Shehbaz reviews facilities for poor patients

LAHORE:

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday chaired a meeting to review the facilities for modern and free medical treatment for poor people at Pakistan Kidney and Liver Institute (PKLI) in Lahore.

While talking to the participants of the meeting, the premier said that the Hepatitis Prevention and Treatment Programme earlier initiated by PKLI should be immediately handed over to the institute again.

He said that the focus should be on reforming the system for providing free-of-cost treatment to poor people in the PKLI and 50 per cent of the patients should be provided free treatment.

He directed that a fund should be instituted for the free-of-cost treatment of needy patients and an amount should be allocated for the purpose.

PKLI Board of Governors Chairman Dr Saeed Akhtar briefed the prime minister about the performance of the institute.

The meeting was told that work was being done to enhance the capacity of PKLI for carrying out complicated surgeries, and at present, 41 percent of the patients were being treated free treatment, and more than 95 percent of the patients were treated successfully.

Punjab Caretaker Chief Minister Mohsin Raza Naqvi, Punjab Chief Secretary Zahid Akhtar Zaman, Punjab Secretary Health Ahmed Javed Qazi, Mujeeebur Rehman Shami and others attended the meeting.