Service delivery: Nursing schools to be upgraded to college level, says Shahbaz

CM approves district health authorities in four districts

LAHORE: Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif on Friday approved upgrading of nursing schools to the status of nursing colleges.

He was chairing a meeting that approved various steps for the uplift of health sector.

Sharif said four nursing colleges would be made centres of excellence. He gave a go ahead to the pilot project of setting up district health authorities in four districts. The meeting decided that non-functional boards of management of autonomous medical institutions would be replaced.

The chief minister said the condition of emergency wards of district and tehsil headquarters hospitals would be improved under a programme. Separate paediatric wards would be set up at public hospitals.



Sharif stressed the need for effective monitoring of purchase and distribution of medicines. He said he favoured introducing a system of accountability at the Health Department.

He ordered that a programme be launched to provide modern training to doctors, nurses and paramedical staff. He said the medical staff serving in far-flung areas should be given special incentives. He said the medical staff for remote areas should be recruited in a transparent manner.

“An engineering workshop should be established for the repair of hospital machinery.” He directed health authorities to install incinerators for proper disposal of hospital waste. The activity should be outsourced, he said.

The chief minister the number of doctors and nurses should be in proportion to patients. He ordered that a steering committee be formed for the quick implementation of a reforms programme in the health sector.

He said he would chair meetings on a fortnightly basis to review the progress on the programme.

“Health authorities should set targets to improve public health facilities. They shall work hard to achieve the goals.”
He praised lady health workers for providing health services to citizens.

“Introducing reforms in the healthcare system is the need of the hour. A team effort is a prerequisite to achieve the goal,” he said.

Earlier, the health secretary briefed the chief minister about steps being taken to provide better health delivery.

Provincial Ministers Mian Mujtaba Shujaur Rehman and Zakiya Shahnawaz; Chief Minister’s Adviser on Health Khwaja Salman Rafique, Chief Minister’s Adviser on Economic Affairs Ijaz Nabi, Parliamentary Secretary for Health Khwaja Imran Nazir, MPAs Rana Sanaullah, Nadia Aziz, Shahbaz Ahmed, Adnan Farid and Makhdoom Hashim and the chief secretary attended the meeting.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 17^th, 2015.