LAHORE  -   Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif Saturday inaugurated ‘Free Medicine Delivery Project’ for people across the Punjab province.

She reached the houses of patients by herself taking medicines including the house of a cardiac patient Rasoolan Bibi after passing through narrow streets of service quarters at Shaman Kutchi Abadi. The elederly woman got emotional on seeing CM Maryam Nawaz Sharif. The chief minister sat with the patient on her bed, inquired about her health and prayed for her complete recovery.

CM Maryam Nawaz also went to the residence of a cardiac patient Munawar Malik at Shadman Kutchi Abadi and presented medicines to him. She talked to the patient and asked him about his health. Munawar Malik thanked CM Maryam Nawaz Sharif and said now he would not have to face problems of getting medicines in hospitals.

The CM also inaugurated Sahulat Markaz at the Primary & Secondary Healthcare Department. She formally restarted the registration process of TB and Hepatitis patients. She also inspected the Drug Testing Lab being established to check the quality of medicines. She visited chromatography, drug release lab, drug sample receiving area and hepatitis reference/ public health lab. She was given briefing about the medicine home delivery programme.

CM Maryam Nawaz also visited FM Sehat Zindagi and got her podcast recorded on the FM radio. People can listen to that message on https:// www.facebook.com/ fmsehatzindagi.She also laid the foundation stone of Primary & Secondary Healthcare Development Wing. She also inspected a van for doctors at the Primary & Secondary Healthcare Department.The CM, while addressing the ceremony, said: “We have launched such a mega welfare project in a short span of eight weeks.

“May Allah Almighty reward Nawaz Sharif and Shehbaz Sharif for launching medicines home delivery projects from 2013 to 2018, but the previous government unfortunately abolished the public welfare project,” she recalled.

The ministers kept on receiving their salaries and deprived the poor people of getting medicines with the closure of the project. The Punjab government extended the scope of the project to all cities of Punjab. Under the project, two lakh patients would be delivered medicines at their doorsteps, she added.

Two months’ medicines stock of hepatitis,TB and cardiac patients would be delivered at the doorsteps of patients and patients would be delivered medicines again after undergoing check-up. “I am striving to serve masses under the guidance of Nawaz Sharif and Shehbaz Sharif,” she added.

“I want no one to remain deprived of treatment facility after five years in Punjab, and patients should not face any hassle in hospitals. Thirty-two field hospitals have been made functional to provide treatment facilities to people belonging to rural areas. “I witnessed during my Bahawalpur visit that women are waiting for their turn to get treatment in the field hospital. The ‘Clinic On Wheel’ project will be launched soon. We are establishing the first official state-of-the-art cancer hospital in Lahore, where patients will be provided free treatment of cancer disease. I have directed the Health Minister to make functional cancer hospital Outdoor wing,” the CM added.

The previous government halted PML-N’s development projects. “I want state-of-the-art health facility across Punjab after five years, and every city should have cardiology, paediatrics and cancer treatment facilities. Air ambulance project will be launched for the poor patients in coming few weeks. It is my dream that no patient wanders about in search of treatment and medicines.” CM Maryam Nawaz commended the Health Department officers including secretary health over successful launch of the project.

Senator Pervaiz Rasheed, MNA Aoun Chaudhry, Provincial Ministers Azma Zahid Bokhari, Khawaja Salman Rafique, Khawaja Imran Nazir, Chairman P&D, Secretary Health, Secretary Information and other officials were also present.