RECORDER REPORT

LAHORE: Pakistan Association of Private Medical and Dental Institutions (PAMI) would extend all out support to the specialized healthcare & medical education (SP&ME) department Punjab to provide medical treatment to the patients referred by the public sector teaching hospitals to the hospitals operated.

It was announced in a meeting of Minister SH&ME Khawaja Salman Rafiq and Secretary Najam Ahmad Shah with the delegation of PAMI at Civil Secretariat on Monday. The delegation of PAMI consisted of Dr Javed Asghar, Dr Shabber Nasir and Khaqaan Paracha. It was agreed to prepare a strategy to promote cooperation between PAMI and SP&ME department keeping in view the rush of patients in public sector teaching hospitals. Kh Salman Rafiq said cooperation between public and private sector is essential for the development of health sector. Dr Shabber Nasir and Dr Javed Asghar informed that 80 medical colleges are the members of PAMI and attached hospitals of these medical colleges have the capacity of 10,000 beds. Secretary Health Najam Ahmad Shah said the department would utilize this opportunity and a policy would be evolved to use these resources of the private sector for the patient care and to reduce the workload on public sector hospitals.

The delegation of Pakistan Association of Private Medical and Dental Institutions offered to provide free treatment facilities to the patients referred to their hospitals from government teaching hospitals during any emergent situation.