Heart treatment comes home to Jhang
For decades, a heart patient in Jhang faced the same hard journey: an emergency trip to Faisalabad or Lahore, long waits, and appointments months away. That is now changing. Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has announced the launch of cardiac surgery services at the District Headquarters (DHQ) Hospital in Jhang, alongside a province-wide telemedicine system, according to a report by Independent News Pakistan (INP).
Addressing the inaugural ceremony of the cath lab in Jhang, the Chief Minister said the government is committed to providing quality healthcare at people’s doorsteps, with no distinction between the poor and the affluent in access to treatment.
Procedures in 48 hours, not months
The Chief Minister observed a cardiac procedure at the Jhang cath lab during her visit and noted that patients are now being treated locally instead of being referred to Lahore. She said patients told her that while larger cities gave them appointments several months later, procedures in Jhang are being completed in just 48 hours — which she described as the result of improved governance and administrative support.
She pointed out that timely medical intervention during the “golden hour” of a heart attack can save lives, and expressed satisfaction that a cath lab has been established in a remote district like Jhang. She added that 16 cath labs have been launched across Punjab within weeks and months, while cardiology institutes have been established in Sahiwal, Murree and Sargodha.
Telemedicine and wider health measures
The Chief Minister also announced the introduction of a province-wide telemedicine system, so patients can consult specialists without travelling. She said construction of the Nawaz Sharif Medical District in Lahore would begin in March.
Among the wider measures she mentioned: dialysis cards allowing treatment worth up to one million rupees, clinics on wheels and field hospitals that have provided treatment to over 20 million people, free medicines worth Rs100 billion across Punjab, and home delivery of essential drugs, including insulin. She added that patients from other provinces, including Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, are also receiving treatment in Punjab.
What this means for Jhang
For the people of Jhang district, a working cath lab and cardiac surgery at DHQ Hospital mean three practical things: heart emergencies can be handled in the golden hour without a two-hour road journey; routine procedures no longer need months of waiting in big-city hospitals; and poor patients get the same facility locally that was once only for those who could afford to travel. It is one of the most significant health upgrades the district has received — and Jhang News Network will keep following how it performs in the months ahead.
Source: Independent News Pakistan (INP) — “Punjab CM announces telemedicine system, launch of cardiac surgery services in Jhang”.
