CM Maryam pledges sweeping healthcare reforms in Punjab, vows crackdown on corruption

Lahore (Web Desk): Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, addressing a health conference in Lahore, vowed to bring transformative changes to the province’s healthcare system.

She emphasized that, while medicines were often available in the past, patients were frequently deprived of them. “Now, the money meant for medicines for the poor will not be lost to corruption,” she stated.

Highlighting her government’s priorities, Maryam Nawaz said that the provincial health budget has been increased from Rs399 billion to Rs630 billion.

This increase, she explained, aims to ensure every citizen receives high-quality treatment free of cost.

The Chief Minister expressed strong displeasure over irregularities in hospitals, calling it “deeply regrettable” that government medicines were being sold through collusion with pharmacy staff. She also condemned complaints about broken CT scans and MRI machines, deeming such issues unacceptable.

She directed that any malfunctioning medical equipment should be repaired immediately so that patients do not have to face delays or hardships.

Maryam Nawaz gave her team a clear message: “If even a single citizen does not receive proper treatment, it will be a failure of mine, the Health Minister, and all of us.” She added that sometimes tough decisions are necessary to make citizens’ lives easier and emphasized that the government’s mission is not merely to construct buildings but to provide real, tangible relief to the people.