LAHORE: Punjab Minister for Health Dr Yasmin Rashid dispelled all rumours and speculations on Tuesday regarding the privatisation of state-run medical institutions of the province.

In apress conference,she alleged that some elements were trying to blackmail the government by increasing difhculties for poor patients in government hospitals for achieving nefarious political designs.

Specialised Healthcare and Medical Education Special Secretary Mian Shakeel was also present on this occasion.

Dr Rashid said that the Medical Teaching Institutions Act will help improve the standard of education for students in medical institutions as well as for over 300,000 government employees performing duties. She said the law will also help solve the problems of employees at their doorstep and they will not have to hop from one place to another in the secretariat and other offices for redressal of grievances.

She further said that presently more than 60,000 complaints and inquiries were pending in the health department and there was only one secretariat to cope with them. Under these circumstances, it was important to give administrative and financial powers to these medical intuitions through this Act so that problems of employees and patients could be solved at the earliest.

She said the protesting young doctors should call off their strike keeping in view the sanctity of the holy month.

Dr Rashid said the reason for introducing the MTI Act was to facilitate patients by enhancing the standard of government teaching hospitals.