LAHORE: The Punjab chief minister on Tuesday launched ‘Maryam Nawaz Health Clinics (MNHCs) project, outsourcing 150 underutilised basic health units (BHUs) across the province with the objective of making these facilities fully functional to provide better healthcare to patients largely from rural and remote areas. The chief minister also granted final approval to the selection of 150 medical officers (MOs)/ women medical officers (WMOs) to run these BHUs named as ‘Maryam Nawaz Health Clinics’ under Chief Minister’s Punjab Health Reforms project. A total of 3,000 candidates had applied for the administrative slots at these BHUs and 150 of them were recently selected, out of total 1,000 shortlisted candidates. An official said the Punjab government will conduct third-party assessments of these facilities monthly to ensure compliance with healthcare standards and contractual obligations. He said the assessments will focus on key performance indicators (KPIs), such as patient throughput, quality of care, adherence to immunisation schedules, maternal and child health services, and proper use of the Electronic Medical Record (EMR) system. “The third-party assessors will also verify that healthcare services are being delivered as per the contract and that the service provider/individual is adhering to the national healthcare protocols,” says the official. He said the Punjab government outsourced 150 out of total 2,502 BHUs in the province following reports that a majority of these facilities were non-functional due to various reasons. He said the CM was briefed that a majority of the BHUs were located in the rural and remote areas of the province and they were non-functional due to administrative and infrastructure deficiencies and a lack of political commitment. He added it is the first phase of the initiative, that would be expanded in the light of its outcome. The official said the scheme was designed to address the longstanding challenges faced by the primary and secondary healthcare department in providing consistent, high-quality healthcare services in rural and underserved areas of Punjab. Despite the substantial investments in healthcare infrastructure, many BHUs continue to under perform, he said, adding that the purpose of the CM’s initiative was to overhaul these facilities by outsourcing their management and operations to individual healthcare providers under a ‘pay-for-performance’ model. This model emphasises the delivery of critical healthcare services, such as maternal and child health, immunisation, family planning, general outpatient care and emergency services. The payments to healthcare providers will be directly linked to the volume and quality of services delivered, verified through the department’s EMR system. This approach not only would ensure accountability and transparency but also focuses on delivering better health outcomes for the rural population. “A key strength of this outsourcing model is its potential benefits for both the supply and demand sides of healthcare delivery,” he said. As per the agreement, the Punjab government would pay Rs690,000 per month to the selected MOs/WMOs to run each facility as per the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) devised particularly in this respect. MINI CLINICS: The chief minister launched a ‘mini health clinics’ project, saying that under the initiative paramedical staff on motorcycles will provide initial diagnosis and treatment to the patients in need. She said that paramedical staff would connect with doctors through telemedicine facility. “Health reforms were the biggest challenge I faced upon assuming office. There are many problems, and overnight change is not possible,” she said and added a project for organ transplants would soon be launched in Punjab. She said that help desks would be established in hospitals to guide patients, while shortage of nurses in hospitals was also being addressed. “I personally check with patients to ensure the provision of free medicines in hospitals. The theft of medicines, even insulin, from hospitals is deeply concerning. Chinese hospital officials were shocked to hear about the theft of medicines here,” she said. “Chinese methods can be used to treat cancer tumors. Punjab hospitals will soon have the best machinery in the world,” she said and added the construction and renovation of 1,250 Basic Health Units in Punjab is underway, and 904 of these facilities have already been completed. “After revamping, our hospitals will match the best hospitals in the world,” she claimed.