Smog, dengue strained hospital resources in 2024

LAHORE:

The health sector in Punjab had to cope with a large number of patients affected by smog and air pollution in 2024 but at the same time the provincial government launched several new projects and schemes to improve the healthcare services for the citizens.

The government launched health infrastructure projects, a free medicines initiative, the Sehat Sahulat Programme and public-private partnerships. The provincial health budget was also increased.

However, in the last three months of the year, millions of people suffering from ailments caused by smog and pollution sought treatment.

The hospitals faced an increased workload as a large number of people were inflicted by respiratory, heart and eye diseases.

Besides this, dengue fever emerged as a challenge for the health department at the mid of the year. The populous districts of Punjab, including Rawalpindi, Lahore, Faisalabad and Multan, were the centre of the disease.

Another issue causing public complaints was unavailability of medicines for distribution free of charge among patients in the major hospitals.

On the other hand, projects to develop the health infrastructure like the Clinic on Wheels, field hospitals and health weeks helped provide relief to the public.

According to officials of the Punjab health authorities, over 6.2 million people were provided facilities through the Clinics on wheels, field hospitals and health weeks during the year.

For the first time in Punjab, the registration of diabetic children was done and thousands of them were provided medicines.

In addition, the revamping of 2,500 basic health centres in the urban and rural areas was started, while 300 centres were provided new furniture and infrastructure. The provincial government also provided medical instruments to the healthcare centres and recruited staff.

Around 10,000 patients of hepatitis and TB were provided free medicines at their homes, while about five million people underwent check-up through the mobile clinics.

About 800,000 people were treated through field hospitals and blood screening of 500,000 people was also done.

The Punjab government established the Nawaz Sharif institute of Cardiology in Sargodha that is serving a big population of the region.