Provincial Health Minister Emphasizes Upon the Up gradation of Emergency Wards of Healthcare Facilities

LAHORE: Provincial Minister for Health, Dr. Yasmin Rashid has brought focus upon the matter of upgradation of the emergencies of public hospitals of the province, to end the sufferings faced by the patients during their process of treatment at emergency levels.

The Minister herself made a call at the helpline of command and control center of Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department and enquired about the facilities offered through this helpline.

Secretary, Specialised Healthcare and Medical Education, Mr. Saqib Zafar notified the Minister about the Dengue emergency response and Thalassemia program, followed by the Health Insurance card and referral system.

Dr. Yasmin further added that, after consulting all the stakeholders, a framework would be devised to cater the upgradation of health facilities, alongside introducing new health reforms.

Punjab School Education Minister, Mr. Murad Rass has been made into an incharge of division-wise meetings with Heads of District Education Authorities (DEAs), to discuss issues and suggest solutions. He will be meeting with the Heads of DEAs of Faisalabad and Sargodha, Gujranwala, Multan and Bahawalpur divisions, followed by Dera Ghazi Khan, Rawalpindi and Sahiwal divisions.

School Education Department (SED) Punjab has also directed the Chief Executive Officers of DEAs to attend these meetings.

Punjab Minister for Irrigation, Mr. Mohsin Leghari, while chairing a meeting at the Irrigation Secretariat, stressed upon the need for curtailing the distribution network losses in Punjab Irrigation System. He highlighted the need of improved de-silting, lining of channels and curbing water theft.

Mr. Mohsin Leghari also stressed upon the need to develop a concrete plan, in coordination with the Agriculture Department, to promote efficient water use, ensuring no water shortage. While talking about how water scarcity has become an existential crisis for Pakistan, he added that we all need to put in efforts to meet this challenge through rainwater harvesting, efficient use of water resources, better groundwater management and increased spending on water sector. He also instructed the department to expedite work on draft of groundwater regulation act which is likely to introduce regulation for groundwater exploitation for industrial, commercial and urban usage, and directed the irrigation department engineers to develop schemes to harvest runoff water from hill torrents of Rajanpur and DG Khan, to utilize flood water for irrigation and drinking supply.

Secretary Irrigation, Mr. Sher Alam Mehsud also gave a detailed presentation about ongoing projects including, rehabilitation of the age-old barrages and major canal systems.

Provincial Minister for Labour and Manpower, Mr. Anser Majeed Niazi stated that, the government would take every possible step to eliminate all forms of bonded labour from the province, and that they intend to enroll maximum number of children in schools, who are seen working at different kilns, instead of acquiring education.

The Government of Punjab would also launch different projects for the welfare of labourers and their families.