QUETTA: Balochistan Chief Minister Jam Kamal Khan Alyani has said that revolutionary changes are being introduced in the health sector.

Presiding over a meeting on Thursday, he directed that a comprehensive strategy should be evolved to implement the Covid-19 Response Programme.

“Effective and concrete steps should be taken for provision of health facilities and strengthening of infrastructure in less developed areas,” he said.

The meeting was informed that the government would set up 31 state-of-the-art incentive care units (ICUs) and upgrade 31 district and 7 tehsil headquarters hospitals in the province under the Covid-19 Control Response Programme to provide maximum health facilities to the people, especially in rural areas.

The meeting discussed implementation of federal and provincial health projects included in the 2021-22 budget.

The authorities concerned briefed the chief minister about the Covid-19 Response Programme and steps to strengthen district and tehsil headquarters hospitals and basic health units (BHUs) in less developed areas of Balochistan.

They informed the meeting that besides establishing 31 ICUs across the province the government would build 10-bed intensive care / high dependency units in all districts of Balochistan under the Covid-19 Response Programme. A blood bank, pathology department, radiology department and ambulances equipped with latest facilities would also be provided to the health facilities.

Secretary of Specialised Healthcare and Medical Education Noor-ul-Haq Baloch, Secretary of Primary and Secondary of Health Aziz Ahmed Jamali, Secretary of Building Ghulam Ali Baloch, Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister Zahid Saleem, Secretary of Information Sohail-ur-Rehman Baloch, Special Secretary of Finance Lal Jan Jaffar and other officials concerned attended the meeting.

“Completion of the programme will improve the overall health delivery system,” Secretary Noor-ul-Haq Baloch said, adding that the federal government had released funds for implementation of the programme while sufficient funds had also been allocated to strengthen existing basic health centers in less developed areas.

He said funds had been set aside for the improvement of all major hospitals in the province. Emergency response centres would be set up in existing rural health centres.

The meeting was informed that Rs1,000 million had been earmarked for a feasibility study and construction of surgical and medical tower in Civil Hospital, Quetta.

Plans for expansion of Children’s Hospital, feasibility study for setting up a medical college in Nasirabad and construction of nursing colleges have also been made.

A post-graduate medical institute block will be constructed at Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Hospital.

Published in Dawn, July 9th, 2021