- PML-N chief Nawaz, Punjab CM meet newly elected assembly members, greet them over victory in recent by-polls
- CM reviews progress on cardiology centres in Murree, Sahiwal, and Sargodha, as well as performance of 57 specialised hospitals across Punjab
LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Muhammad Nawaz Sharif on Wednesday met the newly-elected members of the Punjab Assembly following the recently held by-elections, congratulating them individually and urging them to begin public service in their constituencies without delay.
The meeting, held in Lahore, marked the party’s first major engagement with victorious candidates after the by-polls and underscored the leadership’s focus on governance delivery ahead of the new political cycle.
During the interaction, the newly elected members attributed their success to the vision of PML-N President Nawaz Sharif and what they described as the effective governance and development-focused performance of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz. They said voter confidence stemmed from trust in the senior Sharif’s leadership and the Chief Minister’s “dedication and diligence” in executing key initiatives across Punjab.
The assembly members noted that the electorate had strongly appreciated the provincial government’s welfare and development efforts. They cited the impact of flagship schemes such as ‘Apni Chhat, Apna Ghar’ and ‘Suthra Punjab,’ saying these programmes resonated deeply with citizens and played a decisive role in their electoral victories.
CM orders full operationalisation of cardiology centres in Sargodha, Murree
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz chaired a high-level meeting to review progress on cardiology centres in Murree, Sahiwal, and Sargodha, as well as the performance of 57 specialised hospitals across Punjab. Expressing strong displeasure over delays in installing medical machinery, she directed that construction and equipment setup must proceed simultaneously to ensure timely service delivery.
The Chief Minister issued firm deadlines for full operationalization: the Nawaz Sharif Institute of Cardiology Sargodha must be fully functional by April, while the Nawaz Sharif Cardiology Centre Murree must become operational by mid-February. She also ordered immediate completion of the cardiac surgery theatre in Murree and directed that all required machinery be provided without further delay. Recruitment of doctors and staff for the Murree centre, she stressed, must also be completed promptly.
The Secretary of Specialized Healthcare and Medical Education briefed the Chief Minister on performance indicators across Punjab’s specialised hospitals. Officials reported that 18.3 million patients had benefitted from provincial health facilities, with 39.3 million medical services provided to date. Since inception, these hospitals have delivered 23.9 million OPD visits, 15.6 million emergency treatments, and free medicines worth Rs1.92 billion.
They further noted that over 7.16 lakh surgeries, 4.52 lakh CT scans, 1.43 lakh MRIs, 99,000 angiographies, and 1.5 lakh echocardiograms had been performed. Under the CM Special Initiative Transplant Program, 1,327 patients were registered and 879 transplants—including liver, kidney, and other procedures—were conducted. Additionally, 29,000 dialysis patients received care through 10.15 lakh dialysis procedures.
At the Nawaz Sharif Cardiology Centre Murree, 1,534 OPD patients were treated, along with 48 angiographies and 374 echocardiograms. In Sargodha, 2,027 patients were registered, over 10,000 OPD visits were conducted, and medicines worth Rs2.9 million were provided. At the Sahiwal Institute of Cardiology, an average of 180 OPD patients are seen daily, with 59 angiographies, six angioplasties, and three bypass surgeries performed.
Officials added that converting the Sambli TB Hospital into a general hospital had increased patient numbers to more than 118,000.
Reaffirming her commitment to strengthening healthcare across Punjab, CM Maryam Nawaz directed further improvements at the Sahiwal Institute of Cardiology and emphasised the timely completion of all ongoing medical projects.
