PHC Expanding Divisional Offices To Improve Healthcare Services

LAHORE, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 27th Oct, 2023) The Punjab Healthcare Commission (PHC) is taking significant steps to enhance healthcare services in the region.

During the 87th meeting held at the PHC head office here on Friday, the Board of Commissioners commended the Commission's operational progress and achievements. The board expressed hope that this momentum would lead to further improvements in healthcare service delivery.

Chief Executive Officer of PHC, Dr. Muhammad Saqib Aziz, presented the departmental quarterly progress report from July to September, highlighting the performance of various departments. The Board praised the Commission for its efforts in expanding its organizational structure to include four regional offices in Multan, Rawalpindi, Sargodha, and Bahawalpur. Additionally, two more offices are slated to be established in the near future.

The PHC has plans to set up offices in all divisional headquarters of the province in due course. In the last quarter, the Board made decisions on 34 complaints previously investigated by the Complaints Directorate, bringing the total number of cases decided by the incumbent Board to 182. So far, the PHC has registered 3,517 complaints, with 1,796 disposed of and 914 decided, while 462 are actively under investigation.

Furthermore, the Board approved regular licenses for 16 healthcare establishments (HCEs) and expressed satisfaction over the registration of 60,690 HCEs, both in the public and private sectors. This move ensures that these establishments are now under the regulatory oversight of the PHC. During the same period, the Commission conducted regular inspections of 493 HCEs and special inspections of 1,146 HCEs.

The PHC remains committed to its anti-quackery campaign, with enforcement teams visiting around 6,400 treatment centers in the last quarter and sealing approximately 1,442 quack-operated premises. In total, the PHC has inspected over 170,000 centers and sealed 47,220 quack outlets.

The Board expects the Commission to maintain its accomplishments with the same zeal in the future.

Justice (retd) Bilal Khan, Chairperson of the Board of Commissioners, lauded the CEO and his team, expressing optimism that the PHC's good work will continue at the same pace. The recovery of fines from violating HCEs is also encouraging, and the Chairperson believes that the Commission will achieve financial sustainability in the near future.