Minister for early completion of hospitals revamp

LAHORE: Health Minister Khawaja Salman Rafique has said the government is trying to complete ongoing revamping projects in the government hospitals.

The minister was chairing a meeting held to review the ongoing revamping projects in the government hospitals. He said delay in treatment of patients in government hospitals is intolerable.

Heads of government hospitals should also play their effective role in completing the revamping projects. We will not tolerate even one percent of negligence in the treatment of patients, poor sanitation arrangements, unavailability of medicines and absence of doctors. We are monitoring the revamping plan by visiting all government hospitals, the minister added.

He directed the special secretary to monitor the revamping projects on a daily basis. Special Secretary Syed Wajid Ali Shah briefed Minister Khawaja Salman Rafique on the revamping projects.

Meanwhile, Minister for Primary and Secondary Healthcare Kh Imran Nazeer led an awareness walk to mark World TB Day. The health minister released balloons for TB awareness. The health minister said that TB is a deadly disease which needs to work together to eradicate it.

Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz’s vision is that medicines should be delivered to all patients free of charge at their homes, he added. The Punjab government will soon come into action under regular planning to provide free medicines to the doorstep.

Kh Imran Nazeer said, “Our government is committed to getting rid of diseases like TB and hepatitis.” The minister appealed to the public that if any patient in the vicinity has symptoms of TB, he should go to the health centres.

MPA Shazia Rizwan, Director General Health Services Dr Ilyas Gondal, Director TB Control Dr Sohail, Director EPI Dr Mukhtar Awan, Director Headquarters Dr Riaz Ahmed and Dr Yadullah were also present.

The MPA said the overhauling of the hospital system is being done on the instructions of the Punjab CM, which will bring about a positive change in the condition of the hospitals. Director Health Services Dr Ilyas Gondal said that treatment facilities are being provided in all hospitals to eradicate TB. Director TB Control Dr Sohail said that TB clinics will be established in all primary and rural health centres in the next six months where TB drugs and testing facilities will be provided to patients at local level.

TB awareness walk

In connection with World TB Day, Gulab Devi Teaching Hospital organised an awareness walk here on Monday.

Gulab Devi Teaching Hospital MS Professor Dr Hamid Hasan led the walk, while a large number of doctors, nurses and medical students participated in the walk. After the walk, a function was organised in the auditorium in which special lectures on TB disease were delivered and questions and answers session with the audience was also held.

MS Gulab Devi Hospital Professor Hamid Hasan said that TB disease is not incurable, it is fully diagnosed in Gulab Devi Hospital and free medicines are also available.

Dr Hamid Hassan said that the symptoms of TB include coughing for more than three weeks, blood in the phlegm, fever at night and weight loss. Dr Hamid Hassan said that the simplest and easiest way to diagnose the disease is to examine the mucus with the help of a microscope. This examination is done free of charge at Gulab Devi Hospital. If the patient is suffering from TB disease then take medicine regularly for eight months. It is the responsibility of the society that wherever they see such symptoms in a person in a house, neighborhood or area, they should immediately bring them to the hospital so that the person can be treated and other people can be protected from the spread of this disease.