Health sector: funding increased to Rs 38 billion in current fiscal

Despite financial constraints, the government has shown its resolve to continue investments in social sector in order to improve human development index by providing modern health facilities to the masses. "Mobile hospitals had been imported to provide health facilities to the people of backward and far-flung areas on their doorstep, while a relief package had been announced for doctors, nurses and paramedics," official sources told Business Recorder.
According to the sources, the Punjab chief minister is taking personal interest to provide modern treatment facilities to the masses and funding for the health sector had been increased from Rs 11 billion to Rs 38 billion in the current fiscal. The sources said six mobile health units had started functioning in Bahawalpur, Dera Ghazi Khan, Muzaffargarh, Bahawalnagar and Mianwali and 300 persons were benefiting from medical facilities from a mobile health unit daily compared to 10 patients from a basic health unit.
As per Economic Survey 2010-11, in all, 35 basic health units and 13 rural health centres have been constructed during 2010-11, while 40 rural health centres and 850 basic health units have been upgraded. Some 4500 doctors, 400 dentists, 3200 nurses and 5000 paramedics have completed their academic courses and 4300 new beds have been added in the hospitals.
It may be noted that there are 972 hospitals, 4842 dispensaries, 5344 basic health units and 909 maternity and child health centres in Pakistan. With availability of 144,901 doctors, 10,508 dentists, 73,244 nurses and 104,137 hospital beds in the country by 2010-11, the population and health facilities ratio works out at 1222 persons per doctor, 16,854 persons per dentist and 1701 persons per hospital bed which compares well with the other developing countries. Various health programmes with a special focus on major public health problems have been carried out. These include cancer treatment, AIDS prevention and Malaria Control Programme.
Secretary Health Punjab, Mohammed Jehanzeb Khan, in a departmental meeting held in connection with "Progress of Punjab Millennium Development Goals Programme," said that strengthening of primary and secondary healthcare system is of vital importance to minimise the mortality rate of mother and child in rural areas. According to him, the Punjab government has been spending billions of rupees on the development of health sector and the budget of health sector has increased from 11 billions to 38 billions of rupees in three years.