Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz on Thursday announced an additional Rs5 billion for stroke treatment and pledged to establish stroke centres, cardiac facilities, paediatric centres, and cancer hospitals in every divisional headquarter across the province. She announced that heart transplant surgeries would begin soon at the Jinnah Institute of Cardiology.
Speaking at an event marking World Stroke Day at the Punjab Institute of Neurosciences (PINS), the chief minister said no stroke patient would be denied treatment due to a shortage of funds, directing officials to inform her directly about any financial requirements.
She said timely treatment was critical in stroke cases, as patients have a window of four to five hours during which medical intervention can significantly improve their chances of recovery. She urged people to seek immediate medical assistance if they experience symptoms such as arm weakness or difficulty in speaking, and advised them to call Rescue 1122 without delay.
High blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, and high cholesterol can increase the risk of stroke, she said, stressing that its symptoms should never be ignored. She noted that Rescue 1122 helped save the lives of 85 stroke patients by transporting them to stroke centres in time.
The establishment of local stroke facilities would help patients access timely care closer to home, she added. Provincial Health Minister Khawaja Salman Rafique said Punjab had established 40 stroke centres, including 38 primary stroke centres and two comprehensive stroke centres.
He added that 2.6 million dialysis sessions and 2,400 cardiac surgeries had been performed in the province. The chief minister said 15 additional stroke centres would be established, and a paediatric centre would be set up in every division.
She said a cancer hospital was being built in Lahore to provide free treatment to underprivileged patients, and a pain management centre would be established there. The government is developing specialised treatment facilities for genetic and blood disorders at the Nawaz Sharif Medical District.
She said 100 billion rupees had been spent on providing free medicines, while 100 million people had received treatment at government hospitals over the past year. Between 15,000 and 16,000 children, including those from other provinces, have undergone cardiac surgery in Punjab, and no child was refused treatment based on their place of residence.
Meanwhile, newly-elected President of the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) Ali Hussam on Thursday called on Maryam Nawaz to discuss traders' welfare and other matters of mutual interest, with a particular focus on promoting industrialisation in the province. The LCCI delegation presented proposals concerning the business community.
The chief minister assured them that actionable proposals would be implemented and appreciated their input. Separately, Maryam Nawaz expressed sorrow over the loss of lives in a road accident near Pindi Bhattian.