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5th Conf on PAPS inaugurated

Health, education basic duty of govt: Ranjah

RECORDER REPORT

FAISALABAD: The Punjab Law Minister Dr. Khalid Ranjah has said that health and education are the fundamental responsibility of government and maximum funds are being allocated to provide these facilities to the masses.

Inaugurating, the 5th International Conference of Pakistan Association of Plastic Surgeons (PAPS) in Punjab Medical College (PMC) auditorium here on Sunday, he said that the government is very clear about its responsibilities and autonomy has been given to the medical sector enabling it to serve the ailing humanity by fully exploiting its financial as well as administrative Potentiality.

The minister dispelled the impression of the privatisation of the health sector and said that there is hell of difference between privatisation and autonomy. He said that autonomy has been given for the better working of the hospitals and hoped that it will ensure better health services to the people.

He said that government alone cannot fully cater to the needs of the ailing humanity and philanthropists and NGOs should also come forward to play their role, for the dispensation of best possible medical services to the people. He assured that government will not only extend 150 percent support but also give matching grant for the development of health units.

Underlining the importance of plastic surgery, he said that it can play an important role for the rehabilitation of patients with burn injuries etc. "It is not only a cosmetic type of surgery catering to the needs of rich and film starts only, he said and added that poor women with burn injuries can also be benefited from this subspecialty of surgery.

He also welcomed the holding at this academic sitting of international standard and hoped that it will not only help generate new ideas but also trigger research on the subject.

Earlier, in his address at welcome Dr. Ghulam Qadir Fayyaz organising secretary of the conference said that Plastic surgery is a specialised branch of general surgery with no limits of age paediatrics, sex and body area. "Plastic surgeons construct nose, ear, lip, breast, vagina, penis and thumb", he said and added that hand surgery is also an important and integral part of plastic surgery which can also replant amputated finger, hand, pinna, foot and limbs.

He further said that care of burn and post burn contracture is a very important part of plastic surgery while treatment of baldness by a plastic surgeon can give more pleasure and permanent result.

About the overall performance of burn unit of Allied Hospital, he said that it had provided best facilities to the

Toba Tek Singh Sui gas burn disaster patients. Demanding more help from Zakat fund, he said that Chief Executive has already requested Federal Zakat Council to increase the amount of funds for Allied Hospital from Rs 4.4 million to Rs 24 million.

Dr. Fayyaz indicated to start with construction of an NGO Model Burn Unit at Faisalabad will be a role model for whole of the Punjab and Pakistan.

Professor Dr. Khalid M. Durrani, Patron Pakistan Association of Plastic Surgeons (PAPS), Abdul Majeed Rajput Chief Executive PMC, Professor Obaidullah Khawaja Principal PMC, Dr. Gool J. Talati President PAPS also addressed the function while Professor. Riaz Hussain Chairman of organising committee of the associatIon thanked the participants of the conference.

Later. Dr. Khalid Ranjah also distributed souvenirs among the participants of the conference.