Significant progress is continuing in implementing revolutionary and historic measures in Punjab’s health sector, with patients receiving free medical facilities worth more than Rs18.5 billion so far through empaneled hospitals under various specialized healthcare programs.
The 116th meeting of the Board of Directors of the Punjab Health Initiative Management Company was held under the chairmanship of Provincial Health Minister Khawaja Salman Rafique, during which a detailed briefing was given on various healthcare projects of the Chief Minister Punjab.
The meeting was attended by Secretary Specialized Healthcare and Medical Education Azmat Mahmood, Secretary Finance Mujahid Sher Dil, Additional Secretary Finance Khurram Aziz, Member Health P&D Shafaat Ali, and other senior officials, while some members participated through video link.
During the meeting, directions were also issued to conduct third party audits to maintain transparency in the Chief Minister’s healthcare initiatives.
Addressing the meeting, Khawaja Salman Rafique said that historic and fundamental measures are being taken in Punjab’s health sector. He stated that under the Chief Minister’s Adult Cardiac Surgery Program, heart disease patients are being provided free medical facilities worth more than Rs 3 billion annually.
He said that under the Chief Minister’s Special Initiative for Cancer Patients, cancer patients are being provided free diagnostic, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, surgical, and medical therapy services at an annual cost of Rs 13 billion.
According to Khawaja Salman Rafique, under the Chief Minister’s Special Initiative for Stroke Management, stroke patients are also being provided free treatment facilities worth more than Rs 3 billion annually.
He stated that under the Chief Minister’s Children Heart Surgery Program, more than 13,565 children have undergone free heart surgeries so far, including children from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Azad Kashmir, Islamabad, Balochistan, Gilgit Baltistan, and Sindh.
The Provincial Health Minister further said that under the Chief Minister’s Special Initiative for Transplant Program, a total of 2,096 transplants have been performed so far, including kidney, liver, cochlear, bone marrow, and corneal transplants.
He said that under the Chief Minister’s Dialysis Program, more than 1.932 million free dialysis procedures have been carried out so far, while more than 43,606 patients have been registered under the program.
According to Khawaja Salman Rafique, more than 30,850 patients have been registered under the cancer program so far, while over 66,922 patients have received free treatment facilities.
He said that the Government of Punjab is utilizing all available resources to provide the best healthcare facilities to the public.
On the occasion, Azmat Mahmood, Secretary Specialized Healthcare and Medical Education, directed that maximum facilities should be provided to patients in empaneled hospitals and that existing issues should be resolved on a priority basis.
