The government would extend financial assistance to promote medical research in the country, and special attention is being paid to curative medical sciences. Federal Health Minister Mohammad Nasir Khan stated this while addressing the Annual Convocation of the Pakistan Academy of Medical Sciences (Pams) at the King Edward Medical College (KEMC) here on Tuesday.
"The allocation of 6.1 percent of the total budget outlay to the health sector manifested the fact that government attached top priority to this sector", he said.
The minister also said the dignity of the doctors would be restored, as medical is a respectable profession, and assured the doctors that better working conditions would be ensured for them in the hospitals.
The government has recently passed a bill making it obligatory to the doctors to instantly provide medical treatment facilities to the critical patients who come to trauma centre, he added.
Nasir Khan regretted that there is a dearth of research institutes, specially the medical institute. He, however, lauded the role of the Pakistan Academy of Medical Sciences, which made significant progress in the field of medical research.
The federal health minister urged the private sector to come forward to join hands with government for promoting corporate culture, which could also improve the healthcare facilities within the country.
Earlier, Pams chief patron Dr Khalid Awan highlighted the objectives of the Academy, saying the basic objective of establishing Pams was to stimulate research and self-sufficiency in the field of healthcare and medical education.
Later, awards were given to the doctors who have shown outstanding performance in the field of medical sciences.