MULTAN: Provincial Minister for Health Dr Yasmin Rashid says no new medical reports of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif were received by the Punjab government and the former prime minister should honour his commitment to return to the country.

Addressing a road show to encourage the private sector to provide health facilities here on Tuesday, the minister said it was the court, and not the government, that had declared Nawaz Sharif a proclaimed offender.

“He should return to the country now. People should remain calm as the guarantor of Nawaz Sharif is with us,” Ms Rashid added.

She said the government was utilising all the resources to provide health facilities to the people and 22.2m health cards would be distributed among the people by the end of the ongoing year.

“Creating employment opportunities for health professionals in the private sector is our prime priority and interest-free loans are being provided while keeping in view the Islamic teachings for which the credit goes to the Punjab government,” she said.

The minister said the provincial government was utilising Rs21bn received from the federal government only in the health sector.

“While keeping in view the vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan and Chief Minister Usman Buzdar, besides Nishtar II and Institute of Cardiology Dera Ghazi Khan, three other hospitals are also being established in Rajanpur, Layyah and Bahawalnagar with Rs30bn.”

Ms Rashid stressed that the government would not compromise on providing health facilities to the people and it was focusing more on health and education sectors.

“We are providing health facilities to each citizen and 42 per cent health cards have been distributed among the people of Sahiwal and Dera Ghazi Khan. Former rulers discriminated against the people of south Punjab and shifted funds of its share to other projects but now the development work is underway in these areas.”

The minister said the funds were being provided for the extension block of Chaudhry Parvaiz Elahi Institute of Cardiology.

“The PTI government gave record employment as 32,000 doctors, male nurses and pharmacists were provided permanent jobs through the Punjab Public Service Commission. Loans were given to health professionals against which the recovery ratio is 97pc. Soon the office of the Punjab Health Foundation will be established in Multan,” she added.

Published in Dawn, January 13th, 2021