LAHORE, July 11: Punjab Health Minister Dr Tahir Ali Javed has directed the Mayo Hospital administration to provide all possible facilities to the teaching staff for research and teaching. The minister was speaking to the King Edward Medical College academic council here on Monday. Principal Prof Dr Mumtaz Hasan, BoM acting chairman Latif Malik, health additional secretary Ahmad Bilal, medical superintendents of attached hospitals and others attended the meeting.

The minister directed the health department administration to reinstate the suspended professor of neurosurgery, Dr Anjum Habib Vohra. Prof Vohra was suspended on the directions of health minister during a surprise visit after finding that serious neurosurgery patients’ history was not taken in the ward.

He directed that the vacant post of principal of School of Physiotherapy should also filled at the earliest.

The minister ordered early completion of repair and maintenance besides purchases.

He said the government was providing maximum funds for research activities in the field of medical education. It had provided a record Rs16 billion to the health department, while the KEMC had been upgraded as a university and provided Rs1.25 billion.

Helicopter service for the seriously injured people would be launched in Lahore. A helipad would be built on the roof of a surgical tower to be constructed in the Mayo Hospital at a cost of Rs380 million. The tower would have 300 beds and 16 operation theatres.

He said the government was working to modernize syllabi according to latest demands and requirements.

The minister was told that cardiology department of the Hospital had completed more than 100 cardiac operations, including 70 free-of-cost angioplasties, since its reactivation.