In addition to six new hospitals in district, the existing ones are being upgraded with the induction of new wards and latest medical equipments to facilitate patients in getting treatment. Kanwar informed this while addressing a joint meeting with the office-bearers of Red Crescent and Lions Club here at his office on Friday. The District Coordination Officer Aftab Ahmed Khatri was also present on the occasion.

He said the district government has allocated a huge grant in the annual budget 2007-2008, under which hospitals, rural health centres and basic health units will be reactivated.

The district government has allocated Rs60 million for medicines for poor patients, he said and added an amount of Rs12.5 million been earmarked for purchase of ventilators, spectrometers and the AGB machines to deal with emergencies.

At present, he said no such machines are available in hospitals and patients avail these facilities in Karachi hospitals. After the availability of these machines, patients could be saved from inconvenient, he added.

He informed Rs90 millions will be spent on various development schemes in health sector, both in urban and rural parts of the district with objectives to provide better health facilities to people.—APP