Chief Minister Punjab, Maryam Nawaz, has passionately stated that it is her dream to bring all essential healthcare facilities to the doorstep of every citizen.
A special meeting on health sector reforms was chaired by Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz. During the meeting, Maryam Nawaz ordered the completion of construction and renovation of health centers by March. It was agreed that biometric attendance would be mandatory at health centers, tehsil, and district hospitals.
The meeting decided to establish Thalassemia Centers in district headquarters hospitals, which will be linked with regional blood centers. The Chief Minister also directed the establishment of Well Women Clinics in district hospitals and the provision of mammography machines in every division. Mobile health clinics will provide services in each district on a rotational basis.
Maryam Nawaz took serious notice of complaints regarding guards collecting money at hospitals and expressed her displeasure. She requested a plan to implement a public-friendly security system in hospitals across the province.
The Chief Minister also instructed that laparoscopic and endoscopic services be made operational as soon as possible. A decision was made to build a state-of-the-art hospital in Rajanpur, and she requested the immediate submission of the plan for the new DHQ Hospital in Rajanpur.
It was decided to provide modern Tesla MRI machines in Sheikhupura and Bahawalnagar through outsourcing. There was also an agreement to provide ventilators and trained staff at tehsil headquarters hospitals. The meeting decided to mechanize the cleaning system in hospitals and provide mechanical sweepers.
Maryam Nawaz ordered ensuring 100% free provision of medicines at health centers and improving the medicine supply chain.
Decisions were made to activate selected RHCs as functional hospitals, conduct third-party audits of the health sector twice a year, and provide public health technician training for health staff. ECG training will also be provided to lady health visitors and other staff.
The meeting was informed that 24-hour services will be available at 200 basic health centers in Punjab by March. Nutrition training will be provided to 717 health nutrition supervisors. Anesthesia, pediatrics, and cardiologists will visit remote hospitals once a week, and CT scan and pathology services will be outsourced.
Speaking on the occasion, Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz said that delivering every health facility to the doorstep of the public is her dream. Upgrading health centers will reduce the patient load on major hospitals. Service improvement is not possible without infrastructure development and renovation.
Maryam Nawaz emphasized the need for specialized human resources in hospitals and suggested adopting a model to deliver health services to homes. She advocated for laparoscopic surgery in government hospitals, stating that the past four years have seen a crisis of good governance in every sector, including health.