Punjab govt to relaunch health card in three months

LAHORE:

“No poor person will be deprived of his right to free treatment,” said Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, while chairing a meeting on relaunching the health insurance scheme in Punjab.

She added, ”We want to provide the best medical facilities to the common man.”

 The chief minister highlighted, ”Health card is a project of Pakistan Muslim League-N. We want to relaunch it in a sustainable manner.”

She directed the authorities concerned to form a working group to make the card more effective and present a workable plan in this regard within three months.

Senior Provincial Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb, former senator Pervaiz Rashid, Minister for Specialised Healthcare and Medical Education Khawaja Salman Rafiq, Minister for Primary and Secondary Health Khawaja Imran Nazir, the chief secretary, chairman of P&D, secretary of health and finance, and other relevant officers attended the meeting.

Chairing a meeting on workers’ safety, the chief minister called for the compilation of comprehensive data of labourers and workers across Punjab.

”Safety measures will be implemented to protect workers in factories,” she added.

The chief minister directed the officials to start an occupational safety and health mobile lab project for the purpose.

She also stressed effective legislation for the protection of youth employed by motorcycle rider services.

Earlier, the authorities concerned briefed the chief minister about a proposal to issue labour cards to daily wage earners to provide them social security benefits.

She was informed that a labour complex and colonies would be built in the Quaid-i-Azam Business Park in Sheikhupura and Rawalpindi, where 1,400 workers and 800 families would be provided accommodation.

The chief minister also issued directives to expedite the completion of labour colony projects in Sunder and Taxila.

”I am committed to providing the workers their own houses. Labour colonies will be built in phases across Punjab,” she said.

In a message on the World Kidney Day, the chief minister said, “Taking care of kidney health is very important for a healthy life.”

She added, ”Following this year's theme of promoting equal access to treatment and better use of medicines, the best and free kidney treatment facilities will be provided in Punjab.”

She said the free dialysis facility started by former prime minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif would be improved. ”Free kidney transplant has been started for authentic treatment of diseases,” she added.

CM Maryam Nawaz paid tribute to all the people who donated kidneys.

Road repair deadline

Presiding over another meeting, the CM set a six-month deadline for the construction and repair of the big and connecting roads of Punjab.

She issued directives to launch the construction of five expressways in public-private partnership soon.

The CM was informed that the construction of 10 highly dilapidated and dangerous bridges had been launched after closing them for traffic.

She said quality should be ensured in the construction, repair and rehabilitation of roads.

The CM was informed that 811 roads would be constructed, repaired and rehabilitated across Punjab, covering 16,558km.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz approved the reconstitution of the School Education Council and restructuring of the Punjab Curriculum Wing. She called for resuming morning assembly in the government schools.

On the direction of CM, milk will be provided in the schools for the students.  This pilot project will be launched in Rajanpur.

A proposal to start afternoon classes and evening coaching centres in the government schools was also reviewed.