LAHORE: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said that all those who were tasked with onus to serve humanity, should strive for provision of free-of-cost health and education facilities to poor and deprived segments of society.

Addressing conference arranged here to create awareness about elimination of hepatitis-C in country arranged at Pakistan Kidney and Liver Institute (PKLI) he said it was their collective responsibility to serve poor and deprived masses by setting up health facilities like PKLI in line with the vision of Quaid e Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah and in accordance with concept of welfare state. Governor Punjab Balighur Rehman, ministers, experts and relevant authorities attended.

He termed event historic and said that he always desired to see PKLI working on pattern of Johns Hopkins of USA. He said PKLI journey started in 2014, when he requested Dr Saeed Akhtar to set up state-of-the-art institute for kidney and liver diseases in Punjab province.

He said that till this day, total of 1000 transplants had been performed at PKLI which was another milestone. PKLI had now Rs 15 billion in trust fund which would help in providing free treatment to poor people, he added.

He regretted that poor people in country suffered while rich had all resources to get treatment for themselves at best facilities in world.

Balighur Rehman said health and education sectors always witnessed progress during governments of PML-N which established vast network of different renowned institutions.

Professor Dr Saeed Akhtar said that they were successful in setting up an information-based system leading to centre of excellence to serve ailing and poor segments of society. PKLI had served over 3.5 million patient interactions since its inception in December 2017. More than 2 million patient interactions had been served at PKLI hospital in short span of time.

Over 1.5 million patient visits for Hepatitis relief have been served under Hepatitis Prevention and Treatment Programme since launch till June 2019.