Chief Minister of Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif on Tuesday took a pledge from doctors to serve patients and announced to increase annual fund for dialysis patients from Rs 7 lakh to one million rupees across Punjab.
She also announced to introduce motorcycle mini clinics, launch a project for organ implants along with providing insulin to type 1 patients at their doorsteps across Punjab soon. She directed to establish and activate a ‘Help Desk’ to guide patients in hospitals.
She, addressing a launching ceremony of the project to convert 150 health centres into “Maryam Nawaz Health Clinic” said, “Doctors by “saving one human life, save the life of the whole humanity” is a guideline goal for them. I cannot make reforms in health system single-handedly and need doctors help. The doctors should ensure maintenance, cleanliness and better arrangements of the new Maryam Nawaz Health Clinic. We are also catering the need to meet shortage of nurses in the hospitals across Punjab.”
She added, “Paramedical staff on motorcycles will provide initial diagnosis and treatment. Paramedical staff will contact doctors through telemedicine system. It gives immense pleasure to see doctors serving the people with devotion. Health reforms were the biggest challenge for me after assuming the office. Problems are multifaceted, change is not possible overnight.”
CM Punjab said, “Apart from 120 million population, people from Balochistan, KP, Kashmir and Afghanistan are also benefiting from Punjab’s health system. Lack of resources and dearth of hospitals poses a big challenge. I want speed of Punjab’s health team to be more swift. Ninety per cent medicines are being provided free of cost in Punjab. I myself ask patients about the provision of free medicines in the hospitals. The attitude of employees with regard to spending time from nine to five is regrettable and they need to change it. The pilferage of medicines and even insulin from hospitals is highly heart-rending and regrettable. Chinese hospital officials were surprised to hear questions about medicine theft. On receiving free medicines at home for two months, a Balochi patient remarked that he is half Balochi and half Punjabi. A new hospital is being built for cancer treatment.”
She said, “Doctors are actually real agents of change, they should lend a healing hand in public service. We will also provide ECG, ultrasound and other machines in ‘Maryam Nawaz Health Clinic. We are developing a ‘cold chain’ system for insulin home delivery.”
