Punjab Minister for Primary & Secondary Health Khawaja Imran Nazir has categorically announced that neither any government hospital is being privatized nor any government employee would be removed from the job. He said that only management of some hospital is being outsourced however, the hospitals assets and property will remain under the ownership of government. Moreover, government will provide budget to run the hospital and outsourcing is being done to ensure quality healthcare to the patients in the hospitals.
He stated this while talking to the media persons after visiting Government Sabzazar hospital, here today. Mehar Ishtiaq MNA, CEO Health Lahore Dr. Yaddullah, Medical Superintendent of the Hospital Dr. Ashraf Shamshad and other officers were present. He said that management of Sabzazar hospital is outsourced to INDUS Hospital Trust. This hospital consisting on sixty beds while another block of 40 beds under construction. Kh. Imran Nazir said that after completion of the block, the capacity of the hospital would be raised upto 100 beds. He was of the view that the people of Multan Road and Sabzazar areas were in dire need of a hospital to their nearby, therefore, Chief Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif decided to construct Sabzazar Hospital. Kh. Imran Nazir took a round of the hospital including outdoor, emergency, triage area. He appreciated the satisfactory seating arrangements for the patients in the meeting area. He also appreciated the queue management system for the patients and said that electronic token system makes transparency and the patients do not complaint regarding their turn, however, the Minister directed the hospital administration to increase the desks of doctors so that waiting time should further be minimized.
Replying to a question, Kh. Imran Nazir said that he is in the favour of regularization of contract employees of dengue control programme who are serving for the last many years and a summary has also been sent to the Chief Minister for this purpose. He said that some elements are exploiting the innocent workers for their own vested interest. He said that days have gone when the officials getting salary while sitting at home, now everybody has to perform duties and those who would not fulfill their responsibilities will have no place in the new system. He assured that rights of government employees would be protected and government will not be blackmailed by the few opportunists.