Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has directed to bring facilities at Pakistan Kidney and Liver Institute (PKLI) as per international standard and provide free treatment to at least 50% of the poor patients there.

He issued this direction while chairing a review meeting of Pakistan Kidney and Liver Institute (PKLI) in Lahore.

On this occasion, Prime Minister was given a detailed briefing on administrative matters of PKLI.

It was informed that in last year two hundred and ninety kidney transplants and one hundred and ninety liver transplants were done out of which only seventeen percent of these patients were received free treatment. He was also apprised about progress on Nursing project.

Speaking on the occasion, Prime Minister said that existing facilities, being provided to the patients in PKLI are unsatisfactory. He also directed Chief Secretary Punjab to present strategy within three days to make the Institute financially autonomous.

He said that the purpose of PKLI was to provide free transplant facilities to the poor and needy people of the country, so that they do not have to go to other countries for treatment at hafety cost. He said that patient should not be deprived of treatment for financial reasons.

Shahbaz Sharif said that the poor of the country have problems in accessing quality healthcare facilities and provision of free world class facilities to them is the top priority of the incumbent government.

He also lamented the negligence in the completion of the PKLI project.

He directed to make Pakistan Kidney and Liver Institute (PKLI) a trust.

Shahbaz Sharif directed to complete the project of Nursing University at earliest and said that the sanitation system of PKLI should be outsourced if there is requirement to bring PKLI's sanitation in line with international standards.

Khawaja Salman Rafique, Khawaja Imran Nazir, Chief Secretary Punjab Kamran Ali Afzal, Punjab Health Secretary and other officials of PKLI were attended the meeting.

Source: Radio Pakistan