CM wants specialists in all district hospitals

Seeks training plan as per requirement

LAHORE:

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has set the target to overcome the shortage of specialist doctors in the district hospitals.

Chairing a meeting in which a briefing was given on establishing cath labs in various hospitals across the province, she sought a plan from the health department with regard to training of cardiology, neuro, paeds and other necessary specialists. A proposal to focus on the specialisation of doctors according to the needs of patients was reviewed in the meeting. It was agreed to propose a special package for the specialist doctors in the district hospitals.

Emphasis was placed on meeting the need of specialist doctors in the remote hospitals across Punjab.

It was also decided to ensure the provision of urgently required medical equipment for heart disease in the districts.

A proposal to provide cath labs in different districts of Punjab in five phases was reviewed in the meeting.

The machines will be provided in Lahore's Punjab Institute of Cardiology (PIC), Gangaram and Mayo Hospitals, Khawaja Safdar Memorial Hospital in Sialkot and Cardiology Institute in Wazirabad. The laboratories will be set up in Sahiwal, Faisalabad and Multan Institutes of Cardiology, as well as Bahawalpur, Rawalpind, Multan Nishtar Hospital, Gujranwala Hospital and Nawaz Sharif Institute of Cardiology.

Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz sought proposals to bring improvements in the Universal Health Programme as well.

Senior Provincial Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb, Minister for Information and Culture Azma Zahid Bokhari, Health Advisor Dr. Azhar Kayani, Parliamentary Secretary Rushda Lodhi, MPA Sania Ashiq, Dr Adnan Khan, the chief secretary, chairman of the planning and development board, health secretary, principal secretary to the CM and other relevant officials were also present. Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz also chaired a seven-hour meeting in the P&D department to review progress on 77 initiatives, 70 projects and seven special programmes.

Senior Provincial Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb said 28 meetings had been held to consider 287 public welfare schemes in the province besides 206 special initiatives of the CM.

The chief minister was apprised in detail of the progress made so far for in various development sectors, including agriculture, meteorology, information technology and social welfare. She was informed that Rs278 billion had been allocated for the development schemes, out of which Rs83 billion had been released so far."