FAISALABAD - Punjab Minister for Health Dr Yasmin Rashid on Tuesday declared that the Punjab government has been executing a comprehensive development plan for up-gradation and extension of health sector to provide quality healthcare to patients at their doorsteps.

She was talking to the newsmen during her visit here on Tuesday. The minister informed that under the new policies of the Punjab government, 3,500 lady doctors have been recruited during the last two months and most of them have been posted in rural areas. She informed that 4,200 more doctors and 6,200 nurses would also be recruited by the next month while 16,000 vacancies of Paramedical staff would be filled through NTS.

Dr Yaseem Rashid informed that special measures are being taken to set up Gynaecology Hospitals in five cities of the province including Attock, Mianwali, Rajanpur, Bahawalnagar and DG Khan to provide best medical services to mother and child.

She said that 25 DHQs and 15 THQs would be upgraded with the provision of CT Scan machine, surgical facilities, nursery wards and modern medical machinery, adding that a comprehensive plan is being devised to keep 2,400 BHUs functional around the clock, seven days a week.

She cleared that the Punjab government has no intention to ban private practice of doctors of govt hospitals rather introducing system of institutional practice in night shift in hospitals attached with five Medical Universities.

"The salaries of Prof Doctors would be increased who would attend to practice in this system," she added.

The Punjab health minister also presided over the first meeting of Faisalabad Medical University Syndicate. 

Different financial and management matters discussed during the meeting and necessary decisions were made in this regard.

During a briefing VC Prof Dr Zafar Ali Ch informed the performance of Allied, DHQ and Govt General Hospital Ghulam Muhammadabad.

He highlighted different development aspects of the Medical University regarding planning of new disciplines, medical research activities.

Registrar Dr Hina Aysha presented agenda during the Syndicate meeting. MS Dr Khurram Altaf, Dr Khalid Fakhar, Dr Muhammad Abbas, Treasure Shehzad Ali, Dr Rubina Firdous, Seth Iftikhar, Mehr Hamid Rasheed, Zafar Iqbal Qureshi, other members and representatives of the health and finance department also attended the meeting.

Addressing the meeting, the health minister stressed the need for transparency in the financial matters of the FMU. She said that all funds should be used according the rules and regulations.

Later, the minister visited Allied, DHQ and Govt General Hospital Ghulam Muhammadabad to check the process of medical services delivery. She visited emergency wards, gynaecology wards, medical stores, diagnostic blocks and other sections to review the process of medical services.

She also interacted with patients and their relatives and enquired about performance of the hospitals.