Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has inaugurated the Health Clinic Project in the province and introduced the concept of motorcycle-based mini-clinics to improve healthcare accessibility.
During the ceremony for the Maryam Nawaz Health Clinic Project in Lahore, she administered an oath to doctors, urging them to prioritize patient care. She announced several initiatives, including increasing the annual dialysis fund from 700,000 to 1 million rupees, launching an insulin home delivery project for diabetic patients, and introducing an organ transplant program in the province.
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The Chief Minister directed the establishment of help desks in hospitals to assist patients and emphasized the importance of maintaining cleanliness, proper management, and adherence to the principle: “Saving one human life is like saving all of humanity.” She also pledged to address the shortage of nurses in hospitals and expand paramedical services through motorcycle mini-clinics for initial diagnoses and treatment.
Telemedicine will enable paramedics to consult with doctors remotely, and she praised the dedication of healthcare professionals serving the public. Acknowledging the significant challenges in the healthcare system, she stressed the need for gradual change and highlighted that nearly 90% of medicines in Punjab are provided free of charge.
Maryam Nawaz condemned the theft of medicines, including insulin, from hospitals and shared her plans to improve major hospitals in Lahore, benefiting over 7 million people through field hospitals. She also announced plans to provide cancer medications to 100,000 patients for two months at home and to construct a new cancer hospital equipped with advanced Chinese treatment methods and the latest machinery.
The Chief Minister revealed that 1,250 basic health centers are under construction or renovation in Punjab, with 904 already revamped to meet international standards. She emphasized the importance of equipping clinics with ECG machines, ultrasound, CT scans, and MRI facilities to enhance diagnostics.
A cold chain system is being developed for insulin delivery, and pediatric heart surgery backlogs are being cleared through the Children’s Heart Surgery Program, benefiting children who had been waiting for years. Maryam Nawaz reiterated that doctors are key agents of change and encouraged them to contribute wholeheartedly to public service.
