Punjab has 40 stroke centres in 23 districts, CM Maryam Nawaz says

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz distributed stroke cards at a ceremony held at General Hospital Lahore. She said the stroke programme is being launched for the general public.

According to the reports, 40 primary stroke centres are now functioning in 23 districts of the province. The number has been increased in recent months, and 15 more primary stroke centres are under construction.

Ms Nawaz said a stroke injection costs 3 lakh rupees. According to the chief minister, the stroke centres provide the injection free of charge. She said a young man had been saved by a timely injection, and said in Urdu that stroke does not announce itself before it comes.

She directed that no patient's treatment should stop because of a lack of funds. Daily Times reported she said financial difficulties should never prevent anyone from receiving medical care, and stressed the importance of timely treatment for stroke patients.

The chief minister also spoke about other health projects. A cancer hospital in Lahore is being built and will soon become operational, and cancer centres are being set up in every division. A modern Nawaz Sharif hospital has been built in Sargodha, and the Jinnah Institute of Cardiology in Lahore was also named among the projects.

On facilities, Daily Pakistan reported that cath labs are being built in 20 districts, while Daily Times reported that health laboratories are being set up in 20 districts.

Ms Nawaz said 100 million people received treatment at public hospitals in the past year and the same number were given free medicines. She also said 16,000 children underwent heart surgery in Punjab. These figures are her own claims. She added that people come to Punjab for better jobs and quality of life.