Caretaker Federal Minister for Health, Dr. Nadeem Jan Tuesday disclosed that the government has planned to strengthen primary and secondary level health facilities and introducing a project to provide ‘uniform health services packages for citizen’ where over 500 countrywide primary health center (PHC) hospitals’ upgradation has started.
In an interview with a private news channel, he said that the renovated emergency room, intensive care units and other state-of art health facilities for patient in various hospitals will be inaugurated in January 2024. The hospital is being upgraded to provide state-of-the-art, high quality care to the patients, especially the underprivileged, he added.
The main purpose of upgrading these community centers is to ensure that the public receives basic health care at their doorstep, he said, adding, community awareness drives for patients to avail quality services will also be part of this project. He said we are trying our best to come up with a universal health insurance scheme after consultations with the provinces, adding, present government was improving the quality of public healthcare services with latest technologies.
He said this will restore public confidence on the public health facilities, adding, strengthening the Universal Health Coverage is our top agenda. Replying a question, he said that with upgradation of primary health care system we will strengthened and overcome the burden of patients on the major hospitals.
To another question about outbreak of Congo Virus in Balochistan, the minister said that government is taking preventive measures on war-footings and transporting the serious patients to Karachi via Air Ambulances and patients with mild symptoms through road.
He said strict implementation of SOPs would be ensured at all levels to control the spread of Congo Virus, adding that the health department’s monitoring mechanism was also being made effective to continuously review the situation not just in Balochistan but other provinces.