LAHORE: The Board of Governors (BoG) of the University of Health Sciences (UHS) has approved a plan for setting up country`s first Department of Preventive Cardiology at the Punjab Institute of Cardiology (PIC), Lahore.

Besides, the board members have also given their nod to the plan for the establishment of eight botanical gardens under the a university-industry partnership, solarisation of campuses, and setting up of an Institute of Nursing at varsity`s Jinnah Campus, Kala Shah Kaku.

The 49th meeting of the UHS Board of Governors was held on Friday under the chairmanship of former chief justice of Pakistan retired JusticeTassadug Hussain Jillani.

The meeting was attended by Vice-Chancellor Prof Javed Akram, Specialized Healthcare Punjab Secretary Ali Jan Khan, Pro-Vice-Chancellor Prof Maroof Aziz, Registrar Dr Asad Zaheer and a representative of the Punjab Finance Department.

Board member Prof Anwaar A.

Khan attended the meeting online.

PIC Chief Executive Prof Bilal Mohyuddin briefed the members on the aims and objectives of the project. He said preventive cardiology was a subspecialty focused on lowering patients` risk for developing heart disease and having a first heart attack or stroke while also preventing further issues in people who already have cardiovascular disease.

He said because of the increasing incidence of heart disease inthe country and especially among the youth, there should be preventive cardiology departments set up in the hospitals where specialists could educate the people about the risk of heart disease and its prevention.

Prof Javed Akram said the department would be set up in collaboration with the UHS where programmes ranging from certificates to PhD degree would be started.

Appreciating the plan, the board approved the formation of a committee headed by Prof Maroof Aziz which would formulate its recommendations regarding the establishment of the department and present them before the board.

The board also approved a plan to set up an Institute of Nursing at Jinnah Campus for which funds would be requested from thePunjab government.

In addition, an initial agreement between the university and the Punjab government regarding the transfer of under-construction Fatima Jinnah Institute of Dental Sciences, Jubilee Town, Lahore to UHS as its constituent institution was also approved.

It was also decided to shift both the campuses to solar energy which would reduce the electricity bill up to 50pc.

Ali Jan Khan said admissions to nursing colleges had started after two years. He requested the UHS to complete the inspection of these colleges by July 31. Referring to the plight of paramedical schools and public health nursing schools in the province, the health secretary requested the UHS authorities to assist the government in the preparation of curricula for these institutions.