LAHORE, Nov 24: A Faisalabad-born philanthropist, Mian Pervez Akhtar, will provide free meal to around 2,000 indoor patients of the Mayo Hospital.

Mr Akhtar, the chief executive of a multi-national electronic goods company, has given an annual grant of Rs20 million for the purpose, promising to donate more if required.

He has also provided crockery and staff for the provision of three-time meals to the patients at their beds, besides taking over charge of the kitchen of the hospital.

Punjab Governor Khalid Maqbool inaugurated the operation at a ceremony at the hospital on Sunday.

Speaking on the occasion, Mian Pervez Akhtar expressed the desire to start similar projects in some other hospitals, including the Nishtar Hospital in Multan and the Allied Hospital in Faisalabad.

He also offered to extend similar facilities at district level hospitals.

Mrs Pervez Akhtar listed out various ongoing projects funded by the multinational for the treatment of kidney and cancer patients all over the country.

Mayo Hospital board of governor’s chairman Lt-Gen Ziaullah Khan (retired) presented a brief account of the century-old hospital and its requirements.

King Edward Medical College Principal and Mayo Hospital Chief Executive Prof Dr Mumtaz Hasan, Health Minister Prof Mahmood Chaudhry, secretary Hasan Waseem Afzal and other officers also attended the ceremony.

Later, the governor visited some wards of the hospital.

Talking to newsmen, the governor said the government would improve the condition of all district headquarter hospitals besides upgrading laboratories and providing furniture to the province’s seven medical colleges.

The government had been paying attention to the provision of all facilities to the poor patients in hospitals. It had provided an additional grant of Rs2 billion for the purpose during the current year.

The government had also given extra Rs110 million to the Mayo Hospital for the purchase of electro medical gadgets and drugs.

The governor claimed that because of the government’s special interest in the affairs of the country more philanthropists were donating funds for the welfare oriented projects.

Under a long-term policy the government was improving the condition of government hospitals buildings but its actual aim was to provide free and quality treatment to the poor patients.

The governor highly appreciated the gesture of Mian Pervez Akhtar. He also defended establishment of the boards of governors for different hospitals in the Punjab.

The governor said that with a view to generate funds, the government had decided to introduce self-finance scheme in certain medical colleges in the province and the feasibility was being studied.