Health Sector Reforms in Punjab

Abdul Rashid Shakir
arshakir.cmo@gmail.com

Physically strong, emotionally stable, educationally qualified and vocationally trained human resource is a real asset of any society. Welfare countries around the globe invest liberally in the health, education and skill development of its population, because a well-nourished and well-nurtured workforce is not only emotionally strong but economically more productive. Governments not only introduce attractive plans customized to the local needs of its population but also incentivize people to benefit from them for good health and rewarding lifestyle. And most importantly, the resources needed to get these plans implemented are not considered expenditures but investment to increase productivity of the workforce.

For this very reason, the United Nations recommends for its member states substantial expenditures on health and education. Though no specific percentage of GDP is suggested for the healthcare sector because the more the better, spending at least 4-6% of the GDP is a minimum threshold (commonwealthfund.org). Similarly, Education 2030 Framework for Action (FFA) recommends a country to spend at least 4-6% of its GDP for providing quality education facilities to its people (Report on Education Expenditure Data, published in February 2024 by United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)’s Institute for Statistics.

The Government of Punjab, under the leadership of its people-friendly and welfare-focused Chief Minister Madam Maryam Nawaz Sharif, is committed to invest heavily in its healthcare and education sectors in order to raise a healthier and more productive workforce that can contribute massively to the socio- economic development of not only Punjab but of the entire country. Therefore, in her maiden budget after assuming charge as the Chief Executive of Punjab in February 2024, Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif liberally increased funds allocation in major sectors of the economy including health, education and social protection (finance.punjab.gov.pk). The Government is not only focusing on infrastructure development is these sectors but also on introducing policy reforms, besides capacity building of the employees to ensure public satisfaction through better service delivery using digital technology.

Government’s remarkable initiatives like ‘Field Hospital’ and ‘Clinic on Wheels’ are aimed at improving access to healthcare facilities for the under-served communities across all 36 districts of Punjab. 32 field hospitals, including 21 mobile healthcare units and 11 mobile diagnostic units have been deployed under the ‘Field Hospital’ initiative, whereas 200 mobile clinics under ‘Clinic on Wheels’ project are focussed on bringing essential healthcare services to the doorsteps of some 04 Million patients in densely populated urban areas (pshealthpunjab.gov.pk). Under the initiative, 444 clinic-on-wheels vans will be provided in 112 tehsils across Punjab (punjab.gov.pk). Additionally, Motorcycle Mini-Clinics, supported by telemedicine, where paramedical staff provide initial diagnosis and treatment after real-time consultation with doctors; and Woman Clinics in district hospitals, where Mammography machines will provide diagnostic services and treatment for breast cancer and other female-specific health complications, are not less than revolutionary interventions of the Punjab Government.

Free Home Delivery of Medicines Program to deliver at the doorsteps 02-month’s medicines stock for more than 02 lac patients suffering from cardiovascular diseases, cancer, tuberculosis and hepatitis (punjab.gov.pk); Insulin Home Delivery Program to ensure safe and secure supply of insulin to patients, especially suffering from Type-I diabetes; increase in Dialysis Fund for poor patients from Rs.700,000 to Rs.1 million; Children Heart Surgery Program to not only clear backlog of pediatric heart surgery cases but also to save lives of over 5,000 children who die annually due to lack of timely heart surgery (punjab.gov.pk); and Chief Minister’s Organ Transplantation Programme to get liver, kidney, bone marrow, cornea and cochlear implant transplanted at Government expense are milestone interventions of the Punjab Government to make its healthcare system more responsive to public needs.
Moreover, Madam Chief Minister is committed to get laparoscopy, endoscopy, state-of-the-art CT scan, MRI and ventilator facilities operational, besides providing trained staff and mechanical sweepers to mechanize the cleaning system in hospitals. She is determined to adopt home delivery model of health services in Punjab, besides bringing surgery in government hospitals to laparoscopy. Additionally, She is focused on building three Medical Cities in South, Central and North Punjab during her tenure.

Upgradation of tehsil and district hospitals with the latest medical equipment and machinery; revamping and upgradation of 2500 Basic Health Units (BHUs)/Rural Health Centers (RHCs); rebranding of 150 Rural Health Centers (RHCs) as ‘Maryam Nawaz Health Clinic’ to ensure the provision of best medical treatment facilities

there; and the launch of ‘Maryam Nawaz Community Health Services’ in Punjab to complete 19 important tasks of the health sector, besides integrated tasks of health-related issues, are sincere efforts of the Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif-led Punjab Government to lend quality healthcare facilities to the people by developing the healthcare infrastructure as per international standards in order to make them more productive and valuable for the national economy. Under ‘Maryam Nawaz Community Health Services’ program, services of not only 20,000 more health inspectors will be hired, but the existing 39,000 lady health workers will also be made part of the program, raising the total workforce of the program to more than 60,000.

Pakistan’s first 1000-bed public-sector cancer hospital, Nawaz Sharif Institute of Cancer Treatment & Research Lahore, and Nawaz Sharif Institute of Cardiology Sargodha are some other milestone initiatives of the Punjab Government to provide quality healthcare facilities to the common man. Moreover, restoration and upgradation of 590 major roads measuring over 11000 kMs, besides the construction of new roads, expressways and motorways in the province; the introduction of motorway ambulance service on all 76 motorway interchanges and on 1588 km-long motorways running through the province; and the launch of air ambulance service to timely shift critical patients from far-flung areas of South and North Punjab to specialized hospitals, following the ‘Golden Hour’ principle, would prove to be great initiatives for providing quality healthcare facilities to the calamity-stricken destitute people in the far-out reaches of the province. One Air Ambulance will be stationed at Rawalpindi/ Mianwali , while the other at Multan/ Bahawalnagar. (punjab.gov.pk).