Healthcare initiatives included · Budget spending push · expanded the array of health care providers · Improved access to health care specialists · Improved quality of health care · Broadened the population that receives health care coverage · Decreased the cost of health care
LAHORE Sept 15 (TNS): Health Department is the key department entrusted by the people of Punjab with the fundamental responsibility for the health of communities and the entire population. Health Department delivers primitive, preventive as well as curative health care services of Primary Health Care level to Tertiary Health Care level.
Free of cost consultation, diagnostic facilities and medicines are provided to the patients particularly focusing on the poor and marginalized segments of the society. Health Department also provides free of cost preventive measures including immunization 8 vaccine for preventable diseases.
Besides measures to prevent, treat and control other communicable diseases and Epidemics / Disasters, these vaccines are provided through Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI) for children under 2 years and pregnant ladies. Health Department is producing its own trained and qualified Human Resource keeping the HR development needs and requirements of Health Care Infrastructure in mind.
Health sector of Punjab has an extensive network of public and privately managed health infrastructure throughout the province. The Government is by far the major provider of hospital services in rural areas, and it is also the main provider of preventive care throughout the province.
Government of the Punjab has taken the initiative to launch Health Sector Reforms Program under the able leadership of Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif. This initiative of the Punjab Government is in line with the overall poverty reduction strategy of Government and international commitments of the country specially with reference to achieving the Millennium Development Goals. Health care programs are designed to enhance the quality of life and facilitate the citizens to meet their health care needs. These programs also educate physicians and other health professionals.
Punjab government is striving for providing international standard health facilities for the treatment of its citizens. In the year 2006-2007 the health development budget was Rs4369 million while in 2015-2016 under the current government Rs166.130 million was allocated for the health department which is 14 % of the total budget. And in the year 2016-2017 the budget was increased up to Rs207 billion. Rs14.5 billion was allocated for providing free medicines throughout Punjab.
In 2013 Ameer Udin medical college Lahore, Khwaja Safdar medical college Sialkot, Gujranwala medical college, Sahiwal medical college and Ghazi medical college Dera Ghazi Khan were established. District Head Quarter hospitals were upgraded to medical and teaching hospitals. In 2014 Bahawalpur hospital consisting of 410 beds was established at the cost of Rs2540.600 million. Institutes of Urology and transplantation and Cardiology were established in Rawalpindi.
Under Chief Minister Road Map Program all the basic and rural health centers Tehsil Head Quarter (THQ) and District Head Quarter (DHQ) were upgraded and doctors were appointed through interviews for making the hospitals 100% functional. In 800 centers 24 hours delivery services were provided due to which death rate has been decreased significantly. 12000 vacancies were created for nurses, 50000 lady health workers and supervisors were made permanent and 10200 vacancies were created for the appointment of new doctors. At the cost of Rs2 billion air conditioners and water coolers were installed in all government hospitals throughout Punjab.
Two hundred beds hospital was constructed in Shahdra and State of the Art Syed Matha hospital was built and facilitated with modern and innovative technology. On Bediaan Road Shehbaz Sharif hospital consisting of 60 beds was constructed and facilities were provided.
Dengue control program was initiated throughout the province and immediate steps were taken to control the rapid dispersion of the epidemic. News vacancies were created for the relevant experts.
Pakistan Kidney and Liver Institute consisting of 300 beds was founded in 14 August 2015 where all the poor and deserving patients can get free treatment.
Research center, medical university and nursing school was established in the hospital.
In Muzafargarh State of the Art Rajab Tayab Urdgan Trust hospital initially consisting of 100 beds was established and later it was extended to 500 beds and was upgraded to teaching hospital.
The country’s first drug testing laboratory of international standard was established in Feb, 2015 and advanced and computerized instruments and machineries were installed. For the lab experts LGC training were arranged from London and lab has been extended in phases.
In the year 2016-2017 collectively Rs43.87billion budget was allocated for the department of health in the province of Punjab. Plans were formulated to establish ICU, dental unit, burn unit, and physiotherapy departments in all district head quarter hospitals and in sub hospitals beds were provided and keep the records of patients and medicines through Information and Technology.
The first E-Vacc application was launched in June 2014 in four districts of Punjab and it was rapidly rolled out to all 36 districts by October 2014. Under this system, 3,750 smartphones with the mobile application were provided to the field vaccinators in a bid to improve their attendance. As a result, the vaccination coverage increased up to 22% so far. Further biometric system and CTV cameras were installed in 138 small scale hospitals in the province and drug testing laboratory Lahore was upgraded.
In the following year Multan, Bahawalpur, Faisalabad and Rawalpindi drug testing laboratories were upgraded. A Lady Health workers program was affiliated with the prevention of diseases and a skilled birth attendant was appointed in every basic health unit.
Additional health facilities were provided in every specialized health care and medical education hospitals. Four big hospitals of Lahore, Multan and Rawalpindi were upgraded to model hospital. In Wahcantt, Rawalpindi general hospital was established at the cost of Rs2 billion and Jinnah hospital, allied hospital Faisalabad, Benazir hospital Rawalpindi and children hospital Multan were revamped. The construction of Kidney hospital Multan and the third phase of the Institute of Neurosciences Lahore have been completed.
With the help of Punjab citizens Nawaz Sharif Kidney hospital was established in Sawat and Rs2 billion was allocated for different health projects in Baluchistan. To fulfill the vacancies, 4000 nurses were enrolled in various hospitals of the province.
After the implementation of Chief Minister Health Road Map Program the immunization coverage has been increased up to 50-86% and Rota virus vaccine has been approved for the prevention of disease among children in the province.
On behalf of the chief minister Rs3.5 billion was given to doctors as part of the special package and Rs4-9 thousand special allowances for nurses were also approved. Service structure of the 4-grade was approved as well.
Vaccinators were provided 26000 motorcycle and 500 new vacancies of vaccinators were created. For vaccine storage, State of the Art ware houses were established in Lahore and Multan. In Wazirabad “institute of Cardiology the program was initiated for the treatment of the indoor patients.
Central contract system was initiated for the buying of quality medicines and crackdown was conducted against the companies for making fake and low quality medicines throughout the province. Drug court could punish 70 years imprisonment and millions of fine for being involved in such a crime.
Further children hospital was extended and Faisalabad children hospital, Gov, Mian Meer and Sumanabad hospitals construction were completed. Gov. Ran Abdu Rehman hospital was inaugurated and foundation was laid for the construction of Tehsil level hospital Manawa. In 2015 Fatima Jinnah Women medical college was upgraded to the university level with the approval from Assembly. Punjab Thalassemia Authority was extended to 36 district of Punjab and Punjab blood transfusion authority bill has been approved as well. 20000 lady health workers were provided with the immunization service. Rs6 million were allocated for the dialyses services for the kidney patients.
In 2016 Health Insurance Card was initiated at the cost of Rs1.5 billion under which poor and deserving people were given health facilities. Rs 50000 Insurance card was initiated for every deserving family.
Further projects include the construction of new OPD block in service hospital in 2008-09, Padiatrick hospital Lahore, burn unit in Nishtar hospital, Sheikh Zaid medical complex Rahim Yar Khan Phase II, Forensic department in Jinnah hospital, children medical special block Meo hospital, children ward in DHQ, civil hospital in Jehlum, Gyne hospital in Rawaplindi, medical college in Sahiwal and Bahawulnagar, Trauma center in Phool Nagar, Kalarkahar, Jhang and Hafizabad, and Sargodha DHQ hospital.
Up gradation schemes included rural health center in Bhakar, Narowal DHQ hospital, and Gyne ward in Arifwala. In Vihari kidney center was initiated.
Mobile health unit, cardiology and cardiac surgery block in Bahawalpur hospital, THQ hospital in Mandi Bahauddin were established. TB and Malaria control programs were also initiated in the province.
