Yasmin terms PDM failed alliance

MULTAN: Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid Wednesday said the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) is an alliance of failed, rejected and corrupt parties.

Talking to reporters at an oath-taking ceremony of Pakistan Medical Association at Nishtar Medical Health University, she said PDM is a failed alliance and its leaders have no ideology.

She said the government did not receive any fresh report of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif's platelets. She said Nawaz Sharif should return to Pakistan as per his commitments.

The minister said Nawaz Sharif had left for London for his cardiac surgery and now he must have come back.

She said the top priority of her leader Prime Minister Imran Khan is to change the life of the poor. The minister said Imran Khan has set an example of social work by erecting Shaukat Khanum hospital, and he had focused upon mother and child care in his maiden speech.

Dr Yasmin said the PTI government has focused upon and invested on human resource. The government has recruited 32,000 health professionals in the last two years, she said.

She said the south Punjab Administrative Secretariat has been created and the south Punjab budget would be allocated for this region exclusively.

The minister said a cardiology hospital has been under construction in Dera Ghazi Khan. The only PTI vision is human development, she said.

She said Pakistan had delivered much more in combating Covid-19. The United States copied Pakistan in fight against Covid-19.

She said the US, India, Europe are unable to combat Covid-19. She paid rich tribute to doctors’ community playing key role in fight against coronavirus.

She said the ministry was working on doctors' promotion cases. The ministry has filled 80 percent vacant posts of doctors through Public Service Commission.

She said 5.2 million people have been issued health cards in Punjab while more than 0.2 million people are taking the benefits of health cards.

PMA president Prof Dr Masood Haraj, Nishtar Medical Health University vice chancellor Prof Dr Ijaz Masood, Cardiology Institute Executive Director Prof Dr Rana Altaf, Nishtar hospital cardiology ward head Prof Dr Haroon Ba Babar, PMA general secretary Dr Tariq Waqar, Dr Shrikh Abdul Khaliq, Dr Asif Khan Niyiazi, Dr Amjad Bari, Dr Abid Kanjoo, Dr Zulqsrnain and others were present.

Meanwhile, Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid approved the budget of Nishtar Medical University to the tune of Rs 6.14 billion for the year 2020-21 in the eighth syndicate meeting of the varsity.

Nishtar Medical University Vice Chancellor Prof Ahmed Ejaz Masood, South Punjab Secretary Health Ajmal Bhatti, Prof Dr Ghulam Mustafa, Prof Dr Iftikhar Hussain, MPA Muhammad Salim Akhtar, MPA Sabeen Gul, industrialist Jalaluddin Rumi, Nishtar Hospital Medical Superintendant Dr Shahid Mahmood Bukhari, Agriculture University Multan Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Asif Ali Khan and other officials were present in the meeting.

The Nishtar Medical University registrar presented the agenda items of the meeting.

The participants prayed for eternal blessings for Nishtar Medical University late vice chancellor Prof Dr Mustafa Kamal Pasha who had died of COVID-19. The minister approved the decisions taken in the seventh syndicate meeting. The meeting approved four-year BS Nursing Course and internship programme in different departments of the Nishtar Medical University.

Speaking on the occasion, the Health minister said that the government had granted its legitimate rights to the people of the South Punjab. We were trying to provide good quality healthcare services to people at their doorstep, she added.

The Nishtar Medical University team had been asked to start new research courses, she told.

Meanwhile, Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid reviewed the progress of development projects and quality of healthcare service delivery in the South Punjab in a meeting called at the office of the South Punjab Health secretary.

The meeting was attended by South Punjab Secretary Ajmal Bhatti and other senior officials. The Health secretary gave a detailed briefing to the minister on the progress in the ongoing projects.

The minister said that the establishment of a secretariat in the South Punjab marks the fulfillment of the promises of Prime Minister Imran Khan.

She said that the people of the South Punjab would be given good quality healthcare services in hospitals and she had asked the staff to make all-out efforts for best services in the South Punjab.

She said that they were developing state-of-the-art Mother and Child Hospitals.

The Nishtar II was a gift from the government to the people of the South Punjab, she continued. The work on the revamping of the hospitals was apace in different hospitals, she maintained.

The previous government neglected the South Punjab while the PTI government would fulfill all promises made with the people, she added.