Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar has said that public-private partnership mode should be promoted for the construction of hospitals in future. He expressed these views while presiding over a meeting, held here on Friday to review health sector reforms. Different proposals were reviewed for construction and operationalisation of hospitals under the public-private partnership. He directed that a comprehensive business model should be devised to promote public-private partnership in health sector, adding that final recommendations should be presented after studying international models.

He maintained that the health sector was ignored in the past, but the PTI government believes in best service delivery. "Special attention will be given to best service delivery through PPP mode," he added. The Chief Minister directed that strategy should be devised to implement the idea of a health city and final recommendations should be presented to him. He said that new reforms will be introduced for improving the health sector so that the patients could be provided world-class facilities.

The secretary specialized healthcare and medical education briefed about the proposed programme of construction and operationalisation of hospitals through public-private partnership mode. Provincial Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid, Punjab Finance Minister Hashim Jawan Bakht, Advisor Dr Salman Shah, Punjab Chief Secretary, administrative secretaries and others attended the meeting.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2019