SIALKOT: The Punjab government has released a special grant of Rs95 million for improvement of infrastructure and medical facilities at all tehsil headquarters hospitals in the district -- Sialkot, Daska, Sambrial and Pasrur -- under the CM’s Health Sector Development Programme.

District Coordination Officer (DCO) Dr Asif Tufail said this while talking to the media at his office here on Friday. Executive District Officer (Health) Dr Javaid Warraich was also present on this occasion.

DCO Tufail said the Sialkot health department had started providing better services round the clock, especially maternity services at 25 selected basic health units (BHUs) in the four tehsils of the district.

These direly needed 24-hour services were launched for the first time here.

He said these BHUs had been selected by the provincial health department as they were situated on main roads and were easily accessible. And the maternity services, especially deliveries, would be provided here for free.

Earlier, these units only had a morning shift with no arrangements for deliveries. Women had to travel long distances to reach the closest urban areas for deliveries.

Dr Warraich said in the next phase of the programme, the free medical services would be expanded to all 88 BHUs in the district. He also revealed that each of the 25 BHUs selected for now had been assigned a target of conducting 30 deliveries a month.

He further said two security guards, two women servants and two lady health visitors had been deputed in each of the 25 BHUs.

Published in Dawn, September 5th, 2015

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