Budget 'imbalance' for govt hospitals in Lahore revealed
Health Minister Khawaja Salman Rafique has said fair distribution of budget in all govt hospitals top priority
LAHORE (Dunya News) - A major ‘imbalance’ has been revealed in the budget for medicines provided to eight big government hospitals in Lahore.
According to budget documents, Mayo Hospital, Asia's largest medical facility with 2,800 beds, was given the lowest budget per bed. Only Rs476,000 was allocated per bed annually for Mayo Hospital, while more than Rs3.29 million per bed was provided to the Punjab Institute of Cardiology.
Punjab Institute of Neurosciences was given Rs3 million per bed, Services Hospital was provided Rs857,000 per bed in the government budget, Jinnah Hospital was provided Rs727,000, General Hospital was provided Rs819,000, and Sir Ganga Ram Hospital was provided Rs194,000 per bed.
Kot Khawaja Saeed Hospital was provided with Rs2.4 million per bed. Medical experts are of the view that due to unfair distribution of the budget, there is a shortage of medicines in major hospitals, which is affecting poor patients the most.
Health Minister Khawaja Salman Rafique has said fair distribution of the budget in all government hospitals is the top priority.
From the new financial year, a new budget formula for hospitals will be made according to the number of beds and patient load, the minister added.
