SWABI: Swabi Thalassaemia Centre was inaugurated in Chota Lahor tehsil headquarters hospital here on Friday.

Health minister Taimur Saleem Jhagra was chief guest at the inaugural ceremony, which was also attended by provincial minister Shahram Tarakai and officials of the provincial health department.

The officials said that about 100 patients had been registeredwith the centre so far and blood was transfused into 21 patients on this occasion.

The health minister said the centre would be beneficial for the local patients as they would no longer need to visit Peshawar for blood transfusion.

The officials said that thalassaemia patients required continued treatment and timely blood transfusions for entire life and this centre would be very beneficial for them.

CAMPS FOR FLOOD-HIT: The deputy commissioner here has notified 21 schools of Chota Lahor tehsil as camps for the flood-hit people of Jehangira, Allahdher and Chakunareas.

He has directed the district education officers (male and female) to ensure availability of drinking water and other basic facilities at these schools.

Meanwhile, the first shop in shopping area of Shahmansoor Town opened here on Friday. The inauguration ceremony was attended by Shahmansoor Township Welfare Association’s Dr Gul Mohammad and Dr Mohammad Shafiq and local people.

GOVT CRITICISED: Awami National Party and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz in separate meetings here on Friday alleged that Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, which was ruling Khyber Pakhtunkhwa since 2013, had destroyed the public sector hospitals in the name of medical teaching institutions (MTIs).

“In fact, PTI has badly disturbed the delivery of health services across the province by introducing MTI Act, 2015. It was a step towards privatisation of public sector hospitals in the province,” claimed ANP leader Mukhtiar Khan.

He added that the provincial government had created more health-related problems instead of resolving them amid rising health expenditures and medicine prices.

PML-N leader Dildar Khan demanded that the government should withdraw the MTI Act and abolish fee in the public sector health units.

Published in Dawn, August 27th, 2022