Efforts being made to improve health care indicators

LAHORE: A delegation along with the CEO of National Institute of Health called on Provincial Health Minister Khawaja Salman Rafique regarding the National Action Plan for Health Security in the Department of Specialised Healthcare and Medical Education. Secretary SHC&ME Department Azmat Mehmood and Secretary Primary and Secondary Health Care Department Nadia Saqib participated.

Additional Secretary Technical Dr Waseem, Deputy Secretary Dr Abdul Rahman, Dr Saeed Akhtar, Dr Yadullah and others were present on this occasion. The delegation included CEO of National Institute of Health Dr Muhammad Salman, Health Adviser Dr Safi Malik, Dr Aqil, Wahaj and Afifah.

The health minister and the delegation discussed improving the coordination between the Federation and the Punjab province for the improvement of the health sector.

The delegation briefed the minister on various measures. Khawaja Salman Rafique said that suggestions and opinions about the National Action Plan for the health security of the delegation are very useful.

The Punjab government is trying to improve the indicators of health care system as providing better health facilities to the common man is a top priority.

Committee on prisoners’ health

A seven-member committee consisting of senior doctors of Lahore General Hospital has been constituted to provide the best and immediate treatment facilities to the prisoners.

According to the hospital administration, the members of the Prisoners Health Service Committee (PHSC), which was formed on the orders of the court, include HoD Radiology Prof Dr Saima Amir, HoD Pathology Prof Dr Nazish Saqlain, AMS Dr Adnan Masood, AMS Emergency Dr Syed Jafar Hussain, Chief Pharmacist Rabia Hameed Ullah and professors of the relevant unit. Amiruddin Medical College Principal Prof Dr Muhammad Al-Fareed Zafar and LGH MS Dr Frayad Hussain issued orders.

According to the notification, AMS administrator Dr Adnan Masood and in-charge of GOPD department, Dr Samina Taufeeq will be the focal persons who will coordinate with the jail superintendent to provide all the data about the under-treatment prisoners to the committee as well as for mutual communication.

She will also be responsible for organising the meeting every Wednesday, in this regard.

Irish team visits UHS

A two-member delegation from National Ambulance Service College (NASC), Dublin, Ireland, has arrived on a three-day official visit to the University of Health Sciences (UHS) to evaluate quality assurance measures in a comprehensive healthcare training programme.

The delegation comprising Robert Morton, Director of the National Ambulance Service, and Dr Shane Knox, Director of Paramedicine at NASC, is set to review ongoing initiatives under which 45,000 healthcare professionals are being trained in essential life-saving skills across Punjab.

On the delegation’s first day, the UHS Vice Chancellor, Professor Ahsan Waheed Rathore, briefed the delegates on the scale and objectives of the project, executed through UHS’s Professional Skill Development Centre (PSDC) and the Institute for Learning Emergency Medicine (ILEM).

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‘New loan scheme for SMEs to be started’

Our correspondent

LAHORE

The first meeting of the Provincial Council on SMEs was held under the chairmanship of Provincial Minister for Industry and Commerce, Chaudhry Shafay Hussain.

The meeting made several key decisions aimed at promoting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Managing Director of Punjab Small Industries Corporation, Saira Umar, gave a detailed briefing on actions and strategies being taken to support SMEs.

During the meeting, it was decided to start a new loan scheme with easy terms for SMEs. This scheme, to be advanced in partnership with banks, will provide easy loans to promote solar energy in small industrial estates. Additionally, a new programme aimed at enhancing business skills for women investors was approved. Under this programme, with the support of the Asian Development Bank, Women Resource Centres will be established in Faisalabad, Multan, Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, and Sialkot, following the Lahore model. The meeting also decided on the full digitisation of the Punjab Small Industries Corporation. It was agreed to accelerate work on the Provincial SMEs Plan 2024 in line with the National SME Policy 2021.

Addressing the meeting, the minister emphasised the significant role of SMEs in economic growth, stressing the need for collective efforts to advance small and medium-sized businesses.