Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif announced the introduction of a province wide telemedicine system and the launch of cardiac surgery services at the District Headquarters Hospital in Jhang, as part of the government’s efforts to ensure quality healthcare at people’s doorsteps.
Addressing the inauguration ceremony of a cath lab in Jhang, the chief minister Punjab said construction of the Nawaz Sharif Medical District in Lahore would begin in March. She said the government is committed to providing equal treatment facilities to all citizens, regardless of financial status, and that there will be no distinction between the poor and the affluent in access to healthcare.
Expressing satisfaction over the establishment of a cath lab in a remote district, she said timely medical intervention during the golden hour of a heart attack could save lives. She observed a cardiac procedure at the Jhang cath lab and noted that patients were now being treated locally instead of being referred to Lahore.
The chief minister said patients had informed her that while they were given appointments several months later in larger cities, procedures in Jhang are being completed in just 48 hours, which she described as a result of improved governance and administrative support.
She said 16 cath labs have been launched across Punjab within weeks and months, while cardiology institutes had been established in Sahiwal, Murree and Sargodha. She added that patients from other provinces, including Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, were also receiving treatment in Punjab, reflecting the province’s inclusive healthcare policy.
Highlighting broader health initiatives, the chief minister said dialysis cards allowed patients to receive treatment worth up to one million rupees, while clinics on wheels and field hospitals had provided treatment to over 20 million people. She said free medicines worth Rs100 billion are being provided across Punjab, along with home delivery of essential drugs, including insulin.
She said telemedicine services would allow doctors to consult patients through mobile phone screens, while specialist consultants from across the world are also being engaged. She added that air ambulance services has also been launched to ensure timely transfer of critically ill patients.
Referring to paediatric cardiac care, the chief minister said she was distressed to learn of a long waiting list for child heart surgeries upon assuming office, adding that thousands of children had since successfully undergone treatment, including patients from other provinces.
She said Nawaz Sharif Medical District would house specialised hospitals for children, cardiology, blood diseases, orthopaedics, burn treatment and genetic disorders. Advanced cancer treatment facilities, including modern chinese technology, are also being introduced, she added.
The chief minister stressed that governance meant taking responsibility for citizens’ welfare, saying the state could not remain indifferent to suffering. She congratulated Provincial Health Minister Khawaja Imran Nazir, Health Secretary Nadia Saqib, Commissioner Faisalabad Raja Jahangir Anwar and Deputy Commissioner Ali Akbar on the completion of the cath lab project, and also praised local administration and police for improved law and order in Jhang.
She reiterated that serving the public remained the government’s foremost mission and pledged continued reforms to strengthen Punjab’s healthcare system.