First-ever air ambulance service begins in Punjab

LAHORE/ ISLAMABAD: Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sunday fulfilled another promise made with people by launching the air ambulance service under the provincial government, which shifted an injured woman to a hospital from Mianwali to Rawalpindi.

Haleema Bibi (40) had received serious injuries after she fell from a roof, and was shifted to a Rawalpindi hospital for treatment under the ‘golden hour’ initiative of the Punjab government. On the directions of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, the life of Haleema Bibi was saved due to her timely transfer to Rawalpindi in the air ambulance.

A surgeon at DHQ Hospital Mianwali had advised her immediate shifting to Rawalpindi for her treatment. As soon as the CM received information in this regard, she ordered for shifting her to Rawalpindi by the air ambulance. Family members of Haleema Bibi prayed for the CM, saying she proved to be an angel of blessing for them.

The CM, in her message to the family, said: “The one who saved one life, saved the whole humanity. Alhamdullilah, I adhered to the ordains of Allah Almighty.” She also appealed to the nation to pray for Haleema Bibi’s complete recovery.

Meanwhile, CM Maryam Nawaz chaired a meeting to finalise Technical Education and Vocational Training Authority (TEVTA) mapping plan on Sunday. “Innovation in technical training courses is need of the hour for economic growth and reduction of unemployment,” she told the meeting participants.

The CM said, “Advanced courses in the market-driven trades should be taught in TEVTA institutes.” She highlighted, “The new courses must include training in building, textiles, garments, tourism, hospitality, information communication technology, automobile assembly and repair, professional training in food processing, biomedical technology, light engineering, renewable energy, and surgical instruments.”

Maryam directed the authorities concerned to establish partnerships with leading industries to support internships, apprenticeships and job placement. She also directed them to introduce Korean, Japanese, German, Chinese and Arabic language courses in TEVTA institutions.

She vowed, “God willing, we will succeed in building a strong technical education system in Punjab.” The CM agreed to a proposal to establish Punjab Overseas Employment Promotion Authority for skilled jobs in the international market, and ordered to outsource ‘Heavy Machinery Driving/Operator Course’ in collaboration with large-scale construction developers.

Maryam approved construction of 45 welding workshops in nine cities, besides construction of state-of-the-art welding and construction course labs in Gujranwala, Sahiwal, Bahawalpur, Multan, Attock, Taxila, Layyah and Mianwali. She also agreed to a proposal to recruit 1,000 employees to overcome shortage of human resource in TEVTA, and ordered to increase monthly budget for purchase of training material for practical training @ Rs2000 per student per month. She also directed the relevant authorities to issue guidelines to ensure biometric attendance of the teachers.

Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif has taken notice of burning of a boy alive by the opponents over a dispute of a shop in Pakpattan. She expressed her heartfelt sympathies and condolences with the bereaved family. She also sought a report from the Inspector General of Police in this regard. The CM ordered to take to task those responsible for committing the heart-rending incident.

APP adds: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif Sunday said the government was determined to provide state-of-the-art free healthcare facilities to the deserving patients across the country.

Addressing the ground-breaking ceremony of Jinnah Medical Complex here, he said the complex was going to be one of the best medical centre of the region where deserving patients would get 100pc free medical treatment.

“This is the gift of the coalition government not only for the residents of Rawalpindi and Islamabad but for the people of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Azad Jammu & Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan,” PM Shehbaz said.

He said once completed, the medical complex would offer the world’s best healthcare facilities to patients suffering from diseases related to heart, kidney, lungs, cancer and others. He said a modern first aid emergency section would also be established at the hospital with facility of air ambulance service for patients belonging to hard areas.

He said the nursing schools and laboratories would also be established in the hospital and the deserving patients would avail 100pc free lab tests facility.

The PM emphasised that it was the same model, envisioned by PMLN President Nawaz Sharif to provide free medical facilities to the poor and on-payment facilities to the well-off people at the same place. He specifically thanked Chairman HBL Sultan Ali Allana and Prince Rahim Agha Khan for providing technical consultancy support free-of-cost for the project. He paid tribute the decades-long services of the Agha Khan Foundation for the country.

PM Shehbaz said that a so-called justice had left no stone unturned to damage the Pakistan Kidney and Liver Institute (PKLI) Lahore. He said that thousands of patients were being treated at the PKLI every day.

He directed the authorities concerned to complete the project in one year. “Although one year is a challenging deadline for the huge project, with determination and hard work, it was quite possible,” he added. He issued directives to continue work on the project round-the-clock to meet the deadline. He promised that there would be no funding problem from the government side.

PM Shehbaz also express his gratitude to Islamabad Chief Commissioner Ali Randhawa for providing land for the project. He thanked finance minister, finance secretary and planning minister for their support for the project.

As regards compensation to the land affected people, the prime minister ordered to provide one window facility to the affected people to solve their problems without any delay.

Additional input from APP