In Lahore, Provincial Health Minister Khawaja Salman Rafique chaired a meeting at the Specialized Healthcare and Medical Education Department to review progress on the Chief Minister’s Adult Cardiac Surgery Program. Secretary Specialized Healthcare and Medical Education Department Azmat Mahmood attended the session in person, while Chairman Advisory Committee for Cardiology Dr. Farqad Alamgir, CEO Punjab Health Initiative Management Company Dr. Ali Razaq and other officials joined by video link. Special Secretary Development Ahmed Kamal and Additional Secretary Development Amira Bedar were also present.
Rafique said historic reforms are being introduced in the health sector under the leadership of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif and that under the scheme free treatment worth more than Rs3 billion annually will be provided to patients with heart disease. He added that all permanent residents of Punjab will be eligible based on National Database and Registration Authority records, and that government cardiac institutions will be upgraded while selected private cardiac hospitals will be included to expand treatment capacity.
The programme is expected to significantly reduce waiting lists and cover all types of adult heart surgery, delivering Free Heart Surgery across the province with government cardiac centres serving as primary registration and treatment points. Referrals to private hospitals will be made only through a Multidisciplinary Team to ensure appropriate clinical decisions and resource use.
Officials said annual treatment coverage per patient will be up to Rs1 million, and a reserve fund will be created for cases that exceed standard packages or involve complex procedures. Secretary Azmat Mahmood noted that an IT-based dashboard will be developed to ensure transparency and effective monitoring of the Adult Cardiac Surgery Program, which officials say will help save thousands of lives and improve access to advanced cardiac care across Punjab.
