Punjab Minister for Specialized Healthcare & Medical Education Kh. Salman Rafique has said that 2016 was a successful year for health sector and the province is remained polio free which is a great success on the part of Health Department. He said that polio free Punjab is the proof that routine immunization under EPI Programme and anti-polio campaigns were successfully launched in Punjab. Kh. Salman Rafique said that Chief Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif is personally monitoring the performance of Health Department.
He expressed these views while talking to the media persons here on Tuesday. The Minister said that various development projects have been completed in Punjab and construction work on many other projects is underway. He disclosed that 500 beds teaching hospitals are being constructed with the each medical college of Sialkot, Gujranwala, Sahiwal and Dera Ghazi Khan. It will enhance 1500 beds capacity and more latest medical facilities will be available to the patients of the concerned areas. He said that Drug Testing Laboratory (DTL) of Lahore has been completed while the DTL of Multan to be upgraded by the experts of Ministry of Health Turkey. Kh. Salman Rafique said that on the model of Turkey. Motorbike Ambulance Service is being introduced in Punjab for the provision of emergency medical aid to the people living in the congested streets where traditional ambulance cannot reach. He disclosed that 800 motorbike ambulances would be procured. While responding to a question, the Minister informed that burn units of Jinnah Hospital Lahore and Multan have been completed, moreover, the extension block of Children Hospital Lahore also completed through which 600 beds and new operation theaters have been included in the hospital. It would reduce the waiting lists of the patients and operations of waiting patients would be performed rapidly. Kh. Salman Rafique said that provision of quality healthcare services to the people of Punjab is the mission of Chief Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif and the whole team of Health Department is endeavoring hard to accomplish his task. He further informed that revamping of 40 DHQ and THQ hospitals has been started besides, provision of CT scan facility at all the DHQ hospitals. Kh. Salman Rafique said that more mega projects of health sector would be completed in the next calendar year (2017) including surgical tower of Mayo Hospital and the phase-I of Pakistan Kidney & Liver Institute consisting of 300 beds.