RAWALPINDI:Caretaker Minister for Primary and Secondary Health Dr Jamal Nasir has said that work on worth Rs 70 billion projects of Rawalpindi was underway including the Ring Road and upgrading of hospitals.
He expressed these views while talking to the media here at Rawalpindi Press Club on Monday.
The minister said that on the direction of Caretaker Chief Minister Punjab, Mohsin Naqvi billions of rupees projects including the upgradation of 78 Tehsil Headquarters Hospitals and District Headquarters Hospitals across Punjab had either been completed or were in the process of completion.
Dr. Jamal Nasir said that work on the Rawalpindi Ring road was underway at the cost of Rs 60 billion while renovation and expansion of the Holy Family would be completed by February 19, 2024.
He added that a dialysis facility had been provided to the residents of district Murree round the clock while the shortage of nurses and staff in Murree had also been overcome on an emergency basis.
He said that for the first time
in Punjab, an institution was being established for the permanently disabled people.
‘All basic health centres across Punjab have been activated for 24 hours and ambulance service has also been provided, which will not only serve to bring patients to the respective basic health centres in any emergency but also in case of transfer to a hospital will provide free service.’
He said that special attention was being paid to the construction and development of Rawalpindi Ring Road along with revolutionary measures in the field of health.
Besides the cleaning of cemeteries in Rawalpindi at a cost of Rs 60 million rupees, the process of cleaning the drains was completed before the recent monsoon at a cost of Rs 120 million.
The minister added that a MoU between the National Press Club and Rawalpindi Institute of Cardiology have been reinstated which will be renewed in the next couple of days.
For the first time in Rawalpindi, a 30-bed burn centre was being established at the Red Crescent Hospital, he said and a
dded that 43,000 lady health workers doctors and paramedical staff had been promoted to the next grade in the province.
He informed that for the first time, Punjab had returned 650 billion rupees owed to the federal government, while with the collaboration of US NGOs, an anti-hepatitis program had been started in four union councils of Rawalpindi and soon these four union councils were made hepatitis free.
He said that Instructions have been issued to the Municipal Corporation Rawalpindi to ensure the installation of street lights in the media town.
A specific and reasonable grant proposal for all press clubs of Punjab including Rawalpindi was also under consideration while a dispensary had been set up at the Rawalpindi Press Club, he added.