Yasmin says private hospitals being empanelled
Staff Reporter
Punjab Health Minister Dr. Yasmin Rashid on Friday said that Prime Minister Imran Khan has taken revolutionary steps for the development of private sector and business community.
“The government is providing a number of opportunities to the private sector, especially in the healthcare sector.”
Punjab Health Minister Dr. Yasmin Rashid was speaking at the inauguration of Salam Medical Complex near Kalma Chowk here on Friday.
On the occasion, spokesperson for the Punjab government Shaukat Basra, Dr Zahid and a number of representatives of the medical fraternity were also present. The Health Minister visited the complex and reviewed facilities and equipment at the complex.
The health minister pointed out that private sector has made great development in the medical field and she is greatly delighted to see this facility. “Private sector hospitals are being empanelled with public sector as well to provide universal health coverage (UHC) in Punjab. We want to see good quality health facilities in all areas of Punjab.”
The minster informed that the Punjab Health Foundation (PHF) is providing interest free loans to medical professionals. “It is great to see Salam Medical Complex providing good quality health facilities.
Private sector is playing important role in provision of health services to people and it is encouraging to see private sector coming forward.”
Dr Yasmin said that for more than 15 million population of the provincial metropolis, the government has been striving hard to provide quality healthcare facilities.
“I express good wishes for the staff of Salam medical Complex.” The health minister said that vaccination services have been increased in Punjab and on daily basis, as many as 0.6 million people are being vaccinated.
“By December, all 29.3 million families will be provided health cards, which, in fact is the basic right of every citizen”, she claimed, adding that the government has been working on a plan to increase number of 20-bed hospitals across Punjab.
Meanwhile, the Specialized and Primary & Secondary Healthcare departments informed that 531 corona patients have recovered during the past 24 hours, taking the number to 315,560 corona patients recovered in the public sector hospitals across the province.
Chairing a high-level meeting here, Punjab Specialized Healthcare Secretary Muhammad Aamir Jan said that in view of Corona pandemic, the department has made sufficient arrangements and 4,921 beds out of 6,513 beds reserved in all government t hospitals for corona patients, are lying unoccupied. Additional secretaries Dr Asif Tufail and Amir Ghazi also attended the meeting.
Likewise, out of 1,398 beds reserved in public sector hospitals in Lahore, 984 beds are vacant so far. The SHC&MED secretary said that the department had arranged 3,010 beds in Isolation wards of all govt hospitals in the province, out of which, 2,486 beds are lying vacant.
However, 370 beds for corona patients are reserved in isolation wards set up in govt hospitals of Lahore, of which 294 beds are unoccupied.
In addition, 2,794 beds are also reserved in HDU for patients suffering from Covid-19 in all the hospitals of government, out of which 1,952 beds are vacant.
The secretary said the health department has arranged 709 ventilators for corona patients in all hospitals of the provincial government, of which 226 ventilators are under use.
