Punjab Allocates Rs. 470 Billion For Health Sector

Author

by Hamna Bano

16-06-2022
10 Best Activities

0

SHARES

On Wednesday, during the announcement of the 2022-23 budget, Punjab allocated a total of Rs. 470 Billion for the health sector. As stated in the budget documents, this allocation is 27 percent higher compared to last year’s budget.

The government has distributed Rs. 296 billion to the non-developmental budget and Rs. 174 billion for the developmental budget.

 

According to the budget documents,  “the treatment of kidney and liver diseases was a serious issue and the PML-N government founded Pakistan Kidney & Liver Institute (PKLI) Lahore for the treatment of such diseases. However, the project was neglected in the previous era but the current government was restoring this project of national significance and it had reserved a Rs 5 billion amount for the PKLI.”

During the budget announcement, it was also made sure that free cancer medicines will be distributed to patients once again. This practice was closed down by the previous government however it will be resumed from July 1 at all the public facilities of the province.

It was added that the “Punjab government allocated Rs 151.5 billion development budget for the Specialized Healthcare & Medical Education Department. The amount is 93 percent higher compared to last year's budget and it will be used for the up-gradation of hospitals, hostels of medical colleges, provision of CT Scan and MRI machines at the teaching hospitals of Punjab, provision of ventilators to state-run hospitals, and establishment of a 70-bed trauma center.”

In hindsight, the government has saved Rs. 21 billion for the developmental budget when it comes to the Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department. The funds will be utilized to take forward the National Health Support Programme.

In addition to that, the government announced that it has increased the allocation of the budget for sehat cards that it launched earlier in 2016. The new budget allocated to this program is Rs. 125.4 billion.