LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has distributed stroke cards at Lahore General Hospital, highlighting the importance of timely treatment and public awareness to prevent deaths and disabilities caused by strokes.
Addressing the stroke card distribution ceremony, Maryam Nawaz said Punjab was the country’s most populous province and that serving as its chief minister was not an easy responsibility. She added that being entrusted with such a position by Allah was also a blessing.
She said the stroke programme was being launched for the general public, noting that awareness about strokes remained limited. She added that measures had been taken to support the rehabilitation of stroke patients.
The chief minister directed authorities to ensure that no patient’s treatment was delayed or halted due to a lack of funds. She said strokes could occur without warning and recalled seeing a young patient whose life was saved after receiving an injection in time.
Maryam Nawaz stressed that awareness was essential for stroke prevention and said the number of primary stroke centres had increased over the past few months. She said 40 primary stroke centres were operational in 23 districts, while 15 more were under development.
She emphasised that timely treatment after a stroke was crucial, adding that an injection used to treat the condition costs Rs300,000, an amount that poor patients cannot afford.
The chief minister also said the world’s largest cancer hospital was being built in Lahore and would become operational soon. Cancer centres were also being established in every division, she added.
Maryam Nawaz said a state-of-the-art Nawaz Sharif Hospital had been built in Sargodha, while catheterisation laboratories were being established in 20 districts.
She claimed that more work was being carried out in the health sector than ever before. According to the chief minister, 100 million people received treatment at government hospitals over the past year, while free medicines were provided to 100 million people.
She further said that 16,000 children had undergone heart surgery in Punjab.
