SIALKOT, June 16: The provincial health minister and secretary have directed the authorities concerned to improve facilities at the Daska Tehsil Headquarters Hospital. The health functionaries have taken a prompt action reportedly in the wake of a news item published on June 8 about the hospital’s deplorable condition.

The hospital administration has been asked to solve problems of the patients, besides repairing the only X-ray machine that has been lying out of order for the last two years.

Meanwhile, medical superintendent Dr Ansar Butt claimed at a meeting of the Daska Civil Hospital Welfare Society on Thursday that they had got the X-Ray machine repaired.

The participants, however, expressed concern over insanitary conditions around the hospital and directed the Daska TMA to take some effective measures to remove garbage.

Tehsil Municipal Officer Muhammad Iqbal Cheema said the TMA had deputed sanitation staff for the purpose.

Social Medical Officer Nawaz Khan told the meeting that medicines worth Rs56,000 had been provided to the poor patients in May 2005 from zakat funds.

He said the district zakat & ushr department had also released special funds of Rs450,000 for the Daska THQ hospital for provision of necessary medicines to the needy.