LAHORE, June 26: A health department spokesman has said the Punjab government intends to improve the service delivery level at Shaikh Zayed Hospital and it is ready to pledge additional resources for this purpose.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, he said salary package of the staff of Shaikh Zayed Hospital was being disbursed as before. He said all development schemes would be completed through bridge financing by the Punjab government.

The spokesman said Rs159 million were allocated in the next financial year for completion of second floor of the hospital. He said the federal government had earmarked Rs780 million at the start of financial year 2011-12 and then approved a supplementary grant of Rs558 million but released only Rs436 million in first seven months of the financial year.

He said the Punjab government had released an amount of Rs678 million for the remaining five months which is more than the released amount of the federal government.

The spokesman said: “For the fiscal year 2012-13, Rs1.226 billion has been allocated for Shaikh Zayed Hospital as its current budget. The institution has its own resources through various user charges out of which the hospital can also meet the requirements.”

The spokesman dispelled the impression that the hospital would face financial hardships during the next year.

He assured that the Punjab government would fulfill all genuine needs of the hospital for maintaining rather improving the current level of services.

LGH: The Lahore General Hospital administration has selected 62 doctors to fill vacant posts of house officers.

These recruitments have been made under the PMDC Rules, House Foundation Year 2010.

According to a handout issued on Tuesday, 184 candidates were interviewed by a panel consisting of Post-Graduate Medical Institute Principal Dr Tariq Salahuddin, LGH Medical Superintendent Dr Muhammad Hassan and professors of various departments at LGH. The selected doctors will join duty on July 1.

Dr Tariq said new house physicians and surgeons had been selected on merit and they would be given stipend on a monthly basis according to government rules.

He expressed the hope that new recruitments would go a long way in enhancing the service standard and availability of medical facilities in the hospital. — Staff Reporter