State-of-the-art organ transplant institute being set up: chief minister Punjab

Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif has said that a state-of-the-art organ transplant institute is being set up in the provincial metropolis at the cost of Rs one billion, which will result in provision of liver transplant facility to the people of the country.
He was addressing the 8th annual symposium at Children Hospital here on Friday. Provincial Assembly members Dr Saeed Elahi, Muhammad Iqbal, local and foreign delegates, senior professors, doctors, Dean Children Hospital and Institute of Child Health Dr Tahir Masood, Medical Director Professor Ahsan Waheed Rathore, faculty members and a large number of paediatricians were present on the occasion.
Addressing the symposium, the Chief Minister said the organ transplant institute is being established at Lawrence Road and a trust has been established, while the implementation of the project will soon be started. He also said Children Hospital is an excellent medical institute and is playing an important role in the provision of healthcare facilities to the children. He also said in view of the rush of patients, the Children Hospital is being linked with other big hospitals of the province through satellite, so that doctors of these hospitals could seek direct guidance from the specialist doctors of Children Hospital. "A strategy will also be evolved with the consultation of doctors for the extension of Children Hospital for making it the best medical institute of Asia," he added.
According to him, the way doctors, nurses and paramedical staff displayed a spirit of commitment and dedication as well as made tireless efforts for coping with the worst outbreak of dengue in the history is highly commendable. Doctors of Children Hospital also played a laudable role in this regard. Dengue was a new epidemic in Pakistan and there was not much knowledge about this virus to the medical experts but they achieved skill in dealing with this menace with the co-operation of Sri Lankan experts and thereby saved innumerable lives. Had timely measures not been taken for controlling dengue virus and elected representatives, officers, departments, doctors and nurses not worked day and night, thousands of human lives would have been lost.
He expressed his gratitude to Sri Lankan expert Dr Fernando, who was also present at the symposium, and the Sri Lankan government for helping in the campaign against dengue virus and taking care of dengue patients. He said the major chunk of Pakistan's population comprises youth and this fact cannot be denied that a healthy society is the guarantee of progress and development. He said special attention is paid to the health of children in civilised societies and keeping in view this fact the government had set up Children Hospital for providing modern treatment facilities to children.
Shahbaz said improvement of health sector and provision of quality health service is the top priority of the government and not only solid steps have been taken for this purpose but the service structure of doctors has also been improved. "Further steps will also be taken in this regard," he added.
Earlier, Dean Children Hospital Professor Tahir Masood said the symposium is being regularly arranged in Children Hospital in which local and foreign delegates participate and benefit from each others' experiences. On the occasion, he proposed extension of the hospital due to the large number of patients.