Children’s Hospital to become University of Child Health: CM Usman Buzdar

LAHORE:Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar on Thursday visited the newly-constructed emergency wards of Children’s Hospital and inquired after the health of the patients. He inquired the parents about medical facilities and inspected different sections. He directed early beginning of the construction of OPD and diagnostic block and announced establishing a new OPD block with the direction to early complete the identification of land.

The chief minister also announced that Children’s Hospital would be given the status of University of Child Health, adding that every city needed such institutions to save the children from diseases and to provide quality healthcare facilities.

In the first phase, Children’s Hospital will be set up in every division of the province and this programme will be extended in phases. Later, a child-specific hospital will be set up in every district, he added.

The chief minister said the health sector reforms programme was being monitored by him and announced improving the standard of healthcare facilities. Many new hospitals have been started by the PTI government in Lahore, he added. The chief minister was also given a briefing about the reconstruction of the emergency ward.

Talking to the media, the chief minister said that hospitals were not only revamped in Lahore but new hospitals were also being established. The PTI government laid the foundation stone of mother and child hospital in Ganga Ram Hospital and PIC-II project had also been devised along with the institute of blood diseases. To a question, he said the Punjab government had taken advance steps to deal with coronavirus. The government is fully vigilant and more steps will be taken if needed. To another question, he said that increasing the prices of masks would not be allowed and administration was issued directions.

coronavirus: Usman Buzdar chaired an important meeting at Specialised Healthcare & Medical Education Department about the steps taken by the Punjab government to deal with the threat of coronavirus.

The chief minister directed effective monitoring and surveillance and vigilance of different entry points. Additional staff of the health department has been deputed at airports for passengers’ screening but strict monitoring of entry points is also essential, he added. He said that cabinet committee would be constituted immediately to review coronavirus situation. This committee would be comprised of all stakeholders to daily review steps after monitoring the situation. He approved immediate procurement of necessary equipment relating to coronavirus, adding that Rs236 million had been released by the Punjab government. The coronavirus diagnostic facility is available in Punjab and there is no coronavirus patient in the province, he added. The meeting also decided to launch a vigorous awareness campaign.

The chief minister said a 75-bed isolation ward had been set up at PKLI and another isolation unit of 35 beds was also set up in Mayo Hospital. Similarly, isolation ward is established in Services Hospital and such wards are also being set up in the hospitals of northern and southern Punjab. He directed the health department to implement the decisions within 24 hours and a report be submitted to CM Office. He also directed adoption of all necessary precautionary measures at airports and other points. The situation is normal in Punjab but we will have to remain fully vigilant, he added. He asked the line departments to complete their preparations for dealing with any untoward situation and implementation of WHO’s SOPs be ensured. Primary & Secondary Healthcare Secretary informed that 82,000 cases have been surfaced in the whole world, including 78,000 in China, and 33,000 patients have been recovered, as well.

The Punjab government set up an advance control room and Health Department, Shaukat Khanum Cancer Hospital and Chughtai Lab have the coronavirus diagnostic kits.