CM forms committee to resolve medicines’ shortage issue

LAHORE: Caretaker Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi chaired a meeting at his office to review progress on health sector reforms for providing quality health facilities to the people. The availability of insulin, essential medicines and disposable supplies to government hospitals was also reviewed in detail.

The chief minister formed a committee to resolve the shortage of insulin and other essential medicines. Provincial Minister for Specialised Healthcare & Medical Education Dr Javed Akram, Provincial Minister for Primary & Secondary Healthcare Dr Jamal Nasir, secretary finance, secretary specialised healthcare & medical education, secretary primary & secondary healthcare, special secretary (procurement), DG (drug control) and others are included in the committee.

The committee has been tasked with proposing solutions to ensure the availability of insulin and other essential medicines in government hospitals. Additionally, they will liaise with the federal government and relevant departments to formulate a comprehensive plan aimed at addressing this issue in the near future.

Mohsin Naqvi emphasised the importance of timely completion of spadework to ensure the uninterrupted availability of insulin and essential medicines in government hospitals. He also urged the committee members to develop an effective plan to address the emerging needs of the health sector.

Provincial Ministers Dr Javed Akram, Dr Jamal Nasir, chief secretary, chairman P&D, health secretaries, secretaries of C&W and finance departments, CEO IDAP, DG Health Services Punjab and others attended the meeting.

Meanwhile, a meeting was held under the chair of the caretaker Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi to review matters related to the Chief Minister’s Low-Cost Housing Scheme project and an order was given to reconstitute the board of Punjab Housing and Town Planning Agency as soon as possible.

The chief minister directed to make it easier for people with low income to get housing loans and called for a workable plan for issuing housing loans to people with low income.

The procedure of issuing small housing loans for PHATA and other schemes was assessed and the issue of giving easy loans, worth Rs800 million, for building houses through Akhuwat Islamic Microfinance was also discussed. The chief minister noted that owning a home was a necessary right of every human being. Interest-free loans will be given, in partnership with Akhuwat, to build houses in less than five marla areas. Economic activities will also increase by giving easy loans to low-income stratum to build their houses, he maintained and welcomed the hundred percent recovery of 200 million worth interest-free loans through Akhuwat Islamic Microfinance. Chairman Akhuwat Dr Amjad Saqib, secretary housing, PHATA DG and others attended the meeting.