MUZAFFARABAD, May 1: The AJK government has launched a plan to provide free dialysis service to patients, Health Minister Sardar Mohammad Yaqoob Khan told a news conference on Friday.

The government, he said, had approved dialysis centres for the seven districts of Azad Kashmir and those would start functioning within three months.

The dialysis centre in Mirpur with six machines was functioning with the help of a non-government organization, whereas the one in Muzaffarabad had recently been made operational with two machines, he said.

Four machines were being purchased for the centre in the capital, he said.

The minister said the government would meet the running expenditure of every renal patient for two years and Rs6.4 million had been allocated for the purpose. After two years, there would be nominal charges but only for those who could afford them, he said. He called for public participation in the project.

He said a drug testing laboratory in AJK would start functioning soon to check counterfeit and spurious medicines in the market. He said drug inspectors would be provided vehicles for regular checking of medical stores. He said a project for safe blood transfusion had been approved.