FAISALABAD, Aug 25: Punjab Health Minister Dr Tahir Ali Javed has claimed that taking notice of the shortage of staff in the hospitals, a new policy regarding the promotion of the staff will be introduced very shortly.

Speaking to the participants in a meeting of local health officers and others concerned at the Allied Hospital on Wednesday, he said the Punjab government was taking steps to improve the health sector by providing the latest treatment facilities to people.

He said efforts were being made for the immediate construction of a modern burn unit in Faisalabad. He said patients at the emergency wards of hospitals were being provided free medicines.

He claimed that for diagnosing the complicated cases, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and scanning machine would be provided to the Allied Hospital. He expressed satisfaction over performance of the DHQ and Allied hospitals and directed the medical superintendents to make sure that all the doctors and paramedical staff used gloves while taking or transfusing blood, injecting patients and conducting operations.

Meanwhile, the provincial minister unveiled the plaque of the project of renovation of the hospital's Ayesha Ward, extension of emergency ward and recently constructed waiting room. He also visited different wards of the DHQ hospital and expressed satisfaction over the performance of the staff and the management.

Speaking at the annual function and oath-taking ceremony of a students' body of the Faculty of Veterinary Sciences at the University of Agriculture, the minister exhorted the students to equip themselves with education.

The government, he said, was working under various programmes and policies that had considerably improved the economic condition. Later, the minister administered oath to the new office-holders of the organization.

TWO KILLED: A woman and her young daughter were shot dead by their close relative at Chak 391-GB near Tandlianwala on Tuesday night. Reports said Sarfraz Ahmad opened fire on his sister-in-law Mukhtaran Bibi and niece, Surraya Bibi, for their alleged suspicious character. They died instantly. Area police have registered a case against the suspect, who is still at large.