LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi on Tuesday ordered to fast-track all health sector projects for early completion, saying a workable plan should be devised for phase in shifting of government hospitals to solar energy.
While presiding over a meeting to review ongoing health sector projects, the CM ordered a full assessment of the solarization of the hospitals and approved funds for the construction of dental hospital in Jubilee Town. He directed to complete the Institute of Child Health under a public-private partnership and said that the mother and child block of Ganga Ram Hospital should be completed this month.
Punjab Minister Specialized Healthcare and Medical Education Dr Yasmin Rashid, Chief Secretary Abdullah Sumbal, former principal secretary GM Sikander, finance secretary and health department officials attended the meeting.
Similarly, he said that the upgradation of DHQ hospitals in Gujranwala and Sahiwal should be completed soon. The DHQ hospital in Gujranwala was being developed as a 500-bed teaching hospital while DHQ hospital Sahiwal would be designed as a 773-bed teaching hospital to provide best healthcare facilities to the patients.
The CM directed that the installation of 30 dialysis machines and other equipment in the 250-bed Institute of Urology and Transplantation Rawalpindi should be completed soon and the outdoor and emergency block of Fateh Muhammad Buzdar Institute of Cardiology DG Khan be made functional as soon as possible. He approved in principle the release of funds for the installation of a pet scan and cyclotron machine in Nishtar Hospital Multan.
The 256-bed trauma centre and emergency of Jinnah Hospital would be operationalised soon. The CM also approved the funds for installing the latest machine in the oncology ward of Jinnah Hospital. The meeting was told that a 200-bed emergency ward will be completed in General Hospital Arfa Karim Tower in the first phase.
WOMEN PARLIAMENTARIANS CALL ON CM
Meanwhile, Ch Pervaiz Elahi said the political role of women parliamentarians is appreciable. The government will give importance to consultations with women assembly members in the formulation of development plans.
He was talking to women parliamentarians who called on him at his office. The women MPAs who called on the CM included: Firdous Rehana, Musarat Jamshed Cheema, Farhat Farooq, Sania Kamran, Farah Agha, Samina Khawar and Sabrina Javed, while Speaker Sibtain Khan and Principal Secretary to CM Muhammad Khan Bhatti were also present.
The CM noted that the women parliamentarians have played a valuable role in the struggle of Chairman PTI Imran Khan and women are playing the role of the vanguard in the democratic struggle of Imran Khan. The welfare of women has always been considered a priority by the government and every effort would be made to protect their rights; he said and sought a report about the construction of a dam in Sohawa when a woman parliamentarian put forth this proposal.
Meanwhile, the CM expressed a deep sense of grief and sorrow over the loss of precious human lives in a traffic accident on Sahiwal Road near Pakpattan. He extended heartfelt sympathies to the bereaved families and directed that the best treatment facilities should be provided to the injured.
CM TAKES NOTICE OF THE DEATH OF A YOUTH IN POLICE CUSTODY
Meanwhile, CM Ch Pervaiz Elahi sought a report from the IG police about the death of an accused due to alleged torture in custody of the Quaid-i-Azam Industrial Estate Police. He ordered legal action against the responsible officials, added that a report be submitted to him after holding an impartial investigation.
