Punjab Govt Taking ‘Historic, Revolutionary’ Steps in Health Sector: Minister

By Dr Ansab Ali | Lahore
LAHORE: Punjab Health Minister Khawaja Salman Rafique has said the provincial government is undertaking “historic and revolutionary” measures to strengthen the healthcare sector through major development projects and improved medical facilities.
He was chairing a high-level meeting of the Specialized Healthcare and Medical Education Department Punjab to review progress on key health initiatives, including the development of the Nawaz Sharif Medical District.
The meeting was attended by Secretary Health Punjab Azmat Mahmood, Special Secretary Development Ahmed Kamal Mann, Additional Secretary Amira Bidar, Chief Planning Officer Fatima Noreen, and other senior officials. Health Economist Dr. Adnan Khan and CEO IDEP Shah Mir also joined via video link.
Key projects reviewed included the establishment of academic blocks and hostels in Nawaz Sharif Medical District Lahore, a Center of Excellence for Nursing Education in Rawalpindi, new medical colleges in Okara and Bahawalnagar, a Children’s Hospital in Rawalpindi, a teaching hospital in Sialkot, and burn units at Sheikh Zayed Hospital Rahim Yar Khan and Bahawal Victoria Hospital Bahawalpur. The meeting also discussed expanding critical care services in teaching hospitals.
Khawaja Salman Rafique said the government is procuring new ventilators for teaching hospitals and investing billions of rupees in advanced diagnostic equipment, including MRI and CT Angio machines. He emphasized that efforts are underway to enhance hospital capacity and ensure quality healthcare services are accessible to people at their doorsteps.
Secretary Health Azmat Mahmood assured that all ongoing and new health projects are progressing at a fast pace and will be completed within stipulated timelines, adding that continuous monitoring is being carried out to ensure efficiency and transparency.