LAHORE, Dec 27: The Punjab Labour Department on Saturday signed an agreement with the Health Department for the provision of 22 dialysis machines worth Rs42.2 million for installation in government hospitals in 11 districts of the province.

The dialysis machines will be installed in government hospitals in Attock, Mianwali, Rahim Yar Khan, Vehari, Rajanpur, Layyah, Bahawalnagar, Pakpattan, Kasur, Jhelum and Mandi Bahauddin.

Provincial Labour Minister Syed Akhtar Hussain Rizvi signed the agreement for the provision of dialysis machines with Health Minister Dr Tahir Ali Javed at the Punjab Workers Welfare Board head office in Allama Iqbal Town here. The agreement has been signed in the presence of provincial Health and Labour Secretaries and DCOs of the districts in which the dialysis machines are to be installed.

Speaking on the occasion, Syed Akhtar Hussain Rizvi said the Labour department had decided to provide dialysis machines to government hospitals for the benefit of the poor people who could not afford the costly kidney treatment.

He said that the registered industrial workers visiting the government hospitals would be given preference for dialysis. He said that his department intended to provide dialysis machines in government hospitals in other districts of the province as well.

Health Minister Dr Tahir Ali Javed said his department was thankful to the Labour department for the provision of dialysis machines it could not install in government hospitals due to financial constraints.