LAHORE: The project to establish state-of-the-art central pathological laboratories in Lahore and Multan to provide international standard diagnostic facilities to the patients will be completed within six months.

This was stated by Specialised Healthcare and Medical Education Department Secretary Najam Ahmad Shah on Friday while addressing a pre-bid conference arranged by the Punjab Health Initiative Management Company (PHIMC) in connection with outsourcing of clinical laboratories and pathologies services in Lahore and Multan.

More than 50 representatives from national as well as international firms and companies participated in the conference.

Setting up of central laboratories would be a game-changer initiative in the health sector and patients would get laboratory services of international standards.

Earlier, PHIMC Chief Executive Officer Zaheer Abbas Malik informed the participants that land had already been identified in the Jinnah Hospital in Lahore and near the Old Bus Terminal in Multan for the construction of central labs.

Mr Abbas said successful national or international company would equip and operate the central lab besides clinical laboratories and pathology services in tertiary care and specialised institutes or hospitals in Lahore and Multan.

He said the Specialised Healthcare and Medical Education Department would pay the operators of the laboratories according to the nature and number of tests at a fixed rate on a monthly basis.

The PHIMC ECO said 17 hospitals in Lahore and three in Multan would be managed under this project where most model central laboratories would provide diagnostic facilities to the patients free of cost.

Later, Najam Shah and Zaheer Abbas answered the queries raised by the participants.

Published in Dawn, December 23rd, 2017

Opinion

Editorial

Judiciary’s SOS
Updated 28 Mar, 2024

Judiciary’s SOS

The ball is now in CJP Isa’s court, and he will feel pressure to take action.
Data protection
28 Mar, 2024

Data protection

WHAT do we want? Data protection laws. When do we want them? Immediately. Without delay, if we are to prevent ...
Selling humans
28 Mar, 2024

Selling humans

HUMAN traders feed off economic distress; they peddle promises of a better life to the impoverished who, mired in...
New terror wave
Updated 27 Mar, 2024

New terror wave

The time has come for decisive government action against militancy.
Development costs
27 Mar, 2024

Development costs

A HEFTY escalation of 30pc in the cost of ongoing federal development schemes is one of the many decisions where the...
Aitchison controversy
Updated 27 Mar, 2024

Aitchison controversy

It is hoped that higher authorities realise that politics and nepotism have no place in schools.