Daily Times

LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Shahbaz Sharif Tuesday paid a surprise visit to the Multan Institute of Kidney Diseases to review medical facilities there.

He inquired after the health of patients and asked them about health facilities being provided to them at the institute. He also inspected facilities at operation theatres and dialysis centre. The chief minister expressed his displeasure over unhygienic condition at the X-Ray room and reprimanded authorities concerned over appointment of untrained staff at the CT scan room.

He expressed his anger over delay in provision of natural gas for installation of a laundry plant at the hospital. He said junior staff had been appointed to operate CT scan machine that was not acceptable. He said the company which had provided CT scan machine should also be responsible to run it

The chief minister also expressed his anger when he was informed by patients that they had paid money for medicines. He ordered authorities to provide free medical treatment to patients. He said that provision of best medical facilities was the top priority of the government.

Later, the chief minister visited the Institute of Child Health Multan and examined pace of work on under-construction building of the hospital. The chief minister said machinery worth billions of rupees had been bought for the hospital but it was regrettable that the machinery had not been installed so far.

Talking to the media on the occasion, he said public service and the provision of best medical facilities was his top priority and every possible resource was being utilised for the purpose. He said the kidney centre would be made effective soon and the expansion of the children hospital will also be completed soon.

He said that Nishtar Medical College had already been given the status of the university and educational facilities there would be improved father.

In reply to a question about privatisation of public hospitals, he said administrative affairs of some hospitals were being given to non-governmental organisations (NGOs). He said administrative affairs of the Government Recep Tayyip Erdogan Hospital had been handed over to the Indus Trust – a non-governmental organisation.

He said the Multan metro bus service was a gift of the Punjab government to the people of southern Punjab and thousands of the people were bring benefited from the project on a daily basis. Punjab Health Minister Khwaja Salman Rafique, chief secretary and senior officials of the Health Department were also present on the occasion.