LAHORE, May 4: The Punjab government is paying special attention to provide modern health facilities to children.

Speaking at the inaugural session of a one-day seminar on ‘paediatric cardiac surgery’ at the Children’s Hospital on Saturday, Health Minister Prof Mahmood Ahmad Chaudhry said the government would also help in strengthening hospital’s paediatric cardiac surgery in collaboration with foreign experts.

He appreciated the doctors for attending academic seminar instead of indulging in strikes and wearing black arm bands as a mark of protest.

Earlier, Children Hospital’s project director and dean Prof Sajid Maqbool said the hospital had operated upon over 100 children. The hospital’s cardiac surgery ward had only 20 beds which were insufficient to meet the present requirements. The hospital was offering all specialities for children, he added.

Prof Maqbool said the hospital was providing training facilities abroad to its staff.

Pakistan Paediatric Cardiology Society president Prof Kalimuddin Aziz also spoke on the occasion. Noted paediatricians from home and abroad attended the seminar.

Later, three scientific sessions were held in which noted doctors, including Dr Neil Wilson from the Children’s Hospital Glasgow and Dr Shakeel Qureshi from Guys Hospital, London, delivered lectures.