Islamabad: Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi on Monday announced establishing preventive cardiology department in hospitals for early diagnosis and treatment of heart diseases.

“Pre-treatment, screening and management of heart diseases will be carried out in the preventive cardiology department,” the Punjab chief minister said.

“Awareness and treatment will be recommended in the preventive cardiology department for the prevention of heart diseases. At this department, it will also be possible to prevent the causes of heart diseases in advance,” he added.

“A pilot project of preventive cardiology will be started in Punjab Institute of Cardiology. The scope of the preventive cardiology department will gradually be expanded to all the institutes of cardiology,” he vowed.

“Early diagnosis and treatment of heart diseases will save the government resources. The preventive cardiology departments in developed countries perform valuable services for public health,” he pointed out.

“Early diagnosis of heart diseases will reduce the pressure of patients on government hospitals,” said Provincial Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid.

“In modern medical science, early diagnosis of heart disease is possible on genetic basis,” said Dr Ezra Mehmood, Research Director, Fatima Jinnah Medical University, and Lahore.