LAHORE, Feb 19: Free medical facilities are being provided to poor patients at the Data Darbar Hospital and 14 dispensaries of the auqaf department at a cost of Rs28 million every year.

The information was given to Punjab Auqaf and Religious Affairs Minister Sahibzada Syed Saeedul Hassan Shah during a meeting presided over by him at his office here on Saturday for the review of the working of the hospital and dispensaries.

He was informed that 1,83,288 patients had been provided free treatment and medicines at the Data Darbar Hospital this year. Of these 82,660 patients had been treated in the General Outdoor, 24,816 had received dental treatment while another 75,812 had been provided treatment at the eye department.

The hospital was working in two shifts to provide medical facilities to the maximum number of people. The minister was informed that free medical treatment facilities were being provided to the poor at nine dispensaries in Lahore and one each at Pakpattan, Multan, Kot Mittan, Sialkot, Liaquatpur and Sargodha.