LAHORE: Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharifsays that under a programme, CT scan machines will be provided in all the hospitals of every district in Punjab.

The companies providing these machines will operate them and the staff of the hospitals will have no concern with these CT scan machines, he said in his keynote speech before inaugurating the 100-bed new emergency block ofthe PunjabInstitute of Cardiology (PIC) on Sunday.

The project of provision of CT scan machines in every district of the province would soon be completed, hopefully by next month.

The Punjab government would bear the expenses of tests of the patients. The patients would not face difficulties when these machines would become operational. This step would eliminate the heinous practices due to which patients have to suffer in the shape of closed or out-of-order of machines, provided with billions of rupees of the poor nation, he said while praising the Friends of PIC who have set an excellent example of service to the people by setting latest emergency in the PIC.

`This example will have to be forwarded in every sector. Todayis a day of pleasure that latest emergency of the world comprising 100 beds has been inaugurated in PIC and soon 100 more beds will be added into it and there will be a total of 200 beds in the emergency,` he said while congratulating those who provided resources for construction of emergency and put their share in this noble cause.

Recalling that in 1980s, the then Governor of Punjab, retired Lt-Gen Ghulam Gillani Khan, took the responsibility of setting up the Punjab Institute of Cardiology in Lahore. The then chief executive of the hospital, Dr Shehryar, and doctors made it a state-of-the-artinstitute.However, this institution did not make progress due to various reasons.

He said modern angiographylab had also been set up in the emergency and such labs should be constructed throughout Pakistan. He said the Punjab government has provided MRI, CT Scan and Angeo-lab at a cost of Rs800 million in PIC and now it is basic responsibility of the hospital management to benefit the patients from the latest machinery.

The chief minister said the need of the hour was to reduce rush of patients in big hospitals, the hospitals set up in far-flung areas should be fully activated and presence of medicines and doctors be ensured there.

The chief minister said the government would discharge its responsibility at every cost despite difficulties and challenges. Medical facilities wouldbe improved in the hospitals at all costs. The Punjab government centralised the system of procurement of medicines last year and an agreement was also signed in this regard but it was not implemented in every district of the province.

`I took strict notice and action is being taken against more than 600 DDOs. They have been suspended and audit of all affairs conducted,` he said.

Earlier, PIC Chief Executive Of ficer Prof Nadeem Hayat Malik said in his address of welcome that the best cardiac emergency of the world has been set up and the cooperation of philanthropists in its construction was appreciable.

Referring to provision of medical facilities in PIC, he said thiswas the only institution of the country providing treatment facilities to the cardiac patients.

Friends of PIC chairman Aamir Fiaz Sheikh said Oct 2 would be remembered as an important day when a big emergency centre of the country was inaugurated where world standard medical facilities would be provided.

Earlier, the chief minister inaugurated the newly-constructed emergency in PIC and inspected emergency wards and medical facilities being provided to the patients. He also inquired after the patients under treatment in the wards.

The chief minister also distributed shields among the philanthropists who contributed towards the project.