ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan has directed the Public Sector Hospitals to adopt the best practices of private sector and induct professionals on merit in order to ensure quality treatment of patients in their facilities.

He was speaking at a ceremony after performing groundbreaking of new emergency of PIMS (Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences) and a new hospital of three hundred beds here in Islamabad on Monday.

The Prime Minister said that PIMS has the potential to become a premier hospital of the country. He said the new emergency to be constructed in the hospital will be state of the art and fully cater to the emergency patients.

He said it is the first time since 1985 that now a new hospital is being constructed in the federal capital. He said the new facility will help reduce the burden on the existing facilities. Alluding to the health card initiative, the Prime Minister said it is the first major step to make Pakistan a truly Islamic welfare state. He said this program was launched keeping in view the hardships faced by the low income groups in getting the medical treatment.

He said this initiative will help promote public private partnership in the health sector. He said this will also encourage the private sector to open hospitals in the far flung areas of the country. Imran Khan said the present government has taken steps to bring improvement in every field including economy and education. He said economic indicators are in the right direction and the world institutions are also acknowledging the country’s sustainable growth.

The Prime Minister said the government has also introduced a uniform curriculum up to class five. He said the aim of establishment of Rehmat-ul-lil-Alameen Authority is also to teach the youth about the life and teachings of Holy Prophet Hazrat Muhammad Razool Allah Khatam-un-Nabiyeen Sallallaho Alaihe Wa Ala Alayhee Wa Ashabehi Wassalam.

In his remarks on the occasion, Special Assistant on National Health Services Dr Faisal Sultan said that the new emergency of PIMs will be completed in a period of two years whilst the construction of a new hospital will provide a great relief to the residents of federal capital.