Lahore: The Punjab government has constituted a 4-member committee for the provision of a mandatory cardiac emergency facility in public sector hospitals across the province.

Punjab Chief Minister Syed Mohsin Raza Naqvi chaired a high-level meeting in Lahore on Sunday to review the facilities available for heart disease patients in government hospitals.

Provincial Minister for Specialized Healthcare and Medical Education Dr Javed Akram, Provincial Minister for Primary and Secondary Healthcare Dr Jamal Nasir, Chief Secretary, Specialized Healthcare and Medical Education Secretary Dr Farqad Alamgir and other concerned officials attended the meeting.

In the meeting, Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi asked for recommendations regarding the provision of cardiac emergency services. The meeting formed a 4-member committee regarding provision of mandatory cardiac emergency services facility.

Dr Javed Akram, Dr Jamal Nasir, Dr Farqad Alamgir and Specialized Health Care and Medical Education Secretary will be the members of the committee. The committee will prepare recommendations in the next few days regarding the provision of angioplasty and stenting facilities in maximum government hospitals of the province.

The committee will also review the facilities available for the implementation of mandatory cardiac emergency services in government hospitals. Mohsin Naqvi urged the committee that all possible measures will be taken for the timely treatment of heart patients in the hospitals.

In this regard, cooperation from the private sector hospitals should also be sought for the convenience of cardiac patients, Naqvi hinted. Dr Javed Akram said that persons with heart-attack should be treated within 90 minutes. “Public awareness about treatment methods in case of heart attack is essential,” he added.