BAHAWALPUR: The Punjab government has announced upgrade of the Government Jubilee Female Hospital (JFH), Bahawalpur, to the status of a full-fledged district headquarters (DHQ) hospital with immediate effect.

The Punjab Cabinet, in its recent meeting chaired by Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, approved the upgrade of the JFH and decided to hand over its administrative control to the secretary of Punjab Specialised Healthcare and Medical Education Department (SHC & ME).

The health officials here told Dawn that the secretary has issued a notification, directing the Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department (P&S healthcare) for handover of the administrative, finance and HR affairs, keeping in view uninterrupted service delivery to general public.

The JFH has served the local population particularly the women and children since the Bahawalpur state times as an independent health facility and local conservative families preferred their women’s treatment at this hospital as a woman doctor attended mostly gynae patients plus medical cases in addition to paeds’ cases. After the former state’s merger with the then West Pakistan, the health facility was attached with the Bahawal Victoria Hospital. Later, after the establishment of Quaid-i-Azam Medical College, its principal also became chief executive officer (CEO) of the JFH.

The local population has been complaining against its neglect with patients of only gynae and paeds being treated there while there was a shortage of funds and medicines budget.

With its upgrade though the JFH would now get an independent medical superintendent (MS), it would continue to be run under the administrative control of the principal of the Quaid-i-Azam Medical College (teaching institution). It is hoped that the annual budget of the hospital would be increased and the emergency department and all other important departments would be established with posting of consultants like other DHQ hospitals of the province.

SUSPECT ARRESTED: Jallah Arainan police on Monday claimed to have arrested an injured dacoity suspect following an alleged encounter near MPR/10 village in Lodhran district, while his accomplice managed to escape.

According to a Lodhran district police spokesman, the suspect, later identified as Hamza, a resident of Gujranwala, and his unidentified accomplice, had allegedly snatched cash and a motorcycle from a man at gunpoint.

On being informed of the incident, a police party rushed to the scene and after exchange of fire with the suspects, arrested Hamza in injured condition, whilehis accomplice fled away.

The police recovered a weapon and the snatched motorcycle from the suspect.

The police claimed that Hamza, who was allegedly involved in 26 cases of dacoity and robbery, was injured in the firing by his fleeing accomplice.

A case has been registered against both suspects.

Published in Dawn, July 30th, 2024