In a first for the province, the Government of Punjab has approved the launch of a free service to transport deceased persons from hospitals to their homes, following formal approval by Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz.The decision was taken during a special meeting chaired by the chief minister, where officials agreed to operationalise a government-run vehicle service at major public hospitals and in every tehsil across the province. There are a total of 216 tehsils in Punjab province.

Punjab authorities have been directed to present a comprehensive plan for the rollout of the van service.Under the approved framework, at least one van will be made available in each tehsil to ensure free transportation of bodies from hospitals to residences. As per the decision in the meeting, bereaved families will be able to access the free ambulance service by calling 1122 or through a designated hospital counter.

The Punjab government has also decided that intercity transportation of deceased persons from one hospital to another city will be provided free of cost. Officials said the service will be monitored through a smart management system to ensure transparency, efficiency and timely response.

During the meeting, Secretary of Emergency Services Dr Rizwan Naseer briefed participants on the operational modalities. The meeting also reviewed a proposal to regulate private ambulance services and fix their rates in order to prevent overcharging and ensure standardised services across the province.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)