LAHORE: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday said that he had asked Punjab Health Minister Yasmeen Rashid to distribute health cards across the province in phases.

“In first phase, the most impoverished people including widows should be provided the health cards,” PM Imran Khan said while addressing the doctors’ convention in Lahore.

He said the health cards would give confidence to poor about their health. “This will pave the way for creation of new hospitals also,” he said.

The prime minister said any equipment required by hospitals could be brought duty-free in the country. He also announced to provide land on concessional rates for building hospitals.

On rising number of coronavirus, he said he would like to ask all Pakistanis to be extra careful in next two months as high number of coronavirus cases put pressure on the health workers across the nation.

“Doctors are respected in a society. Even those people openly talk to doctors who cannot talk to even their families. Doctors and health workers including paramedical staff helped the government to a greater extent in difficult times,” he said referring to doctors’ contribution in society.

PM Imran said two months’ care would help contain spread of coronavirus. He said medical facilities were under immense pressure in mid of June. “Pakistan is fighting a major fight against coronavirus. Second wave of covid-19 is feared,” he said.

Talking about poor health facilities, he said Pakistan’s health system deteriorated after its nationalization.

He said Naya Pakistan cannot be made in the blink of an eye. “We have to correct all the things,” he said.

“Small cartels are creating hurdles in bringing the change. They have vested interests in the status quo situation. This is a defining moment for Pakistan,” he said.

Imran Khan compared the opposition leaders to the hospital cartels who were clogging the way of change in the system.