LAHORE: Strict action will be taken against those doctors who refer patients from government health facilities to private clinics and hospitals. Punjab Government has provided best possible health facilities and free medicines to all DHQ and THQ hospitals across the province. Those should be used to serve the patients visiting these facilities. These views were expressed by Provincial Minister for Primary and Secondary Healthcare Khawaja Imran Nazir while addressing a CEOs Conference on Saturday. State Minister for Health Sara Afzal Tarar was also present. Nazir ordered the authorities concerned to present a report in 24 hours on doctors who were found involved in referring patients to their private clinics. He said that the department had not only established health counsels at district and tehsil levels but had also provided sufficient funds to them to let them meet their daily business needs. The minister appreciated the performance of LHWs and LHVs. He ordered to establish a special cell under his supervision to deal with complaints of LHWs and LHVs. He said that primary and secondary health departments would not take action against any officer on the basis of news reports in the media alone. All such matters would first be investigated at the level of the department, he said. Federal Minister for Health Sara Afzal Tarar appreciated the decision of bifurcation of health department into two wings. She said that this would help pay more attention to preventive healthcare. She said that other provinces should also focus on the health sector by following Punjab’s example. Secretary Ali Jan Khan reviewed the performance of CEOs of all districts. Health Services Director General Akhter Rashid also briefed the participants on monitoring and evaluation system of health facilities in the province. Additional Secretaries, Project Directors, CEOs, DOHs and officers from health department were also present in the Conference. Published in Daily Times, December 17th 2017.