05 June 2004	Saturday	16 Rabi-us-Saani 1425

LAHORE, June 4: Punjab Health Minister Dr Tahir Ali Javed has said the resignation submitted by Postgraduate Medical Institute/Lahore General Hospital Board of Governors chairman Pervaiz Masood will be considered for acceptance by the chief minister.

Talking to reporters after the ground-breaking ceremony for the construction of a five-storey emergency block at the Lahore General Hospital on Friday, he said he had neither received a copy of the resignation nor talked to Mr Masood.

"I am surprised as to why Mr Masood resigned from the BoG chairman's office," the health minister. Though quoted in the press otherwise, he said, Mr Masood was quite healthy and should continue serving the institution.

Answering another question, the health minister issued orders to constitute a formal inquiry into the death of three children at Mayo Hospital's paediatrics ward.

Earlier, speaking at the ground-breaking ceremony, the minister said the hospital's appearance and provision of healthcare facility had witnessed a marked improvement during the last eight months. He said he and the chief minister had paid a surprise visit to the hospital and found it in a shambles.

It was then that the government decided to inject funds into the institution before making officials accountable, he said, adding that the government had provided Rs90 million to the hospital for the purchase of an MRI, Rs160 million for the construction of an emergency block and millions more for the purchase of electromedical equipment and improvement of infrastructure.

Saying that Principal Prof Dr Ali Ajwad Shah continued to contact him directly, the minister said that principals' direct contact with him could shorten the lengthy bureaucratic procedures for doing certain jobs.