Govt prioritizing healthcare access across country: PM Shehbaz

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has instructed the Ministry of National Health Services to modernize the healthcare institutions under the federal government’s purview and make Islamabad a model for healthcare facilities for the entire country, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

Chairing a meeting to review the matters about the Ministry of National Health Services Regulations and Coordination in Islamabad on Tuesday, PM Shehbaz Sharif said the government was prioritizing to ensure access to healthcare facilities across the country, a PM Office press release said.

The prime minister asked the health ministry to expedite the work on Jinnah Medical Complex and Research Center and start the pre-qualification process for timely procuring the facility’s medical and surgical machinery and equipment. He said the pre-qualification process should be completed under the supervision of an expert consultant, besides conducting a third-party audit of the construction work and the procurement of machinery and equipment.

Shehbaz Sharif also directed the initiation of the process of approving the charter for the university associated with Jinnah Medical Complex.

During the briefing on the healthcare facilities in Islamabad, it was told that Jinnah Medical Complex had been established as a company under Section 42 of the Companies Act. The relevant steering committee has approved the master plan for Jinnah Medical Complex.

It was briefed that the recruitment process for the Project Management Unit and Project Implementation Unit of Jinnah Medical Complex has been initiated.

The meeting was attended by Federal Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal, Federal Minister for Economic Affairs Ahad Khan Cheema, Federal Minister for Law and Justice Azam Nazeer Tarar, Prime Minister’s Coordinator for National Health Dr. Malik Mukhtar Ahmed, and other relevant senior government officials.

Reporter Awais Kiyani