Advisor to Chief Minister Punjab on Health Kh. Salman Rafiq has said that steps will be taken for institutionalizing school health and nutrition programme in the province. He said that child health and public health issues are a big challenge and the government is taking effective measures for improving primary and secondary healthcare which will yield far-reaching results. He said that awareness and training of health of mothers is essential for resolving child health problems.
He said this while addressing a national seminar regarding school health situation and institutionalizing it held under the aegis of Fatima Memorial Hospital and Nur Centre for Research and Policy at a local hotel, here today. Besides representatives of international partners of Health Department, Parliamentary Secretary Health Kh. Imran Nazir, Member Punjab Assembly Rana Munawar, President Nur Foundation Shahima Rehman, Chief Executive Officer Dr. Haroon Ehsan, Advocacy Expert NCRP Saba Sheikh, Dr. Romi Aziz, Technical Advisor Strategy and Policy Nur Foundation Maha Rehman, Additional Director School Programme Health Department Usman Ghani, officers of Education, Social Welfare, Principals of educational institutions, doctors and representatives of NGOs attended the seminar. Kh. Salman Rafiq said that without controlling diseases, hospitals and budget for the treatment of patients can never be sufficient and keeping in view this requirement, government is paying special attention to the prevention. He said that education and health are interlinked and without promoting education and creating awareness among the people, implementation on health message is difficult in backward cities. Kh. Salman Rafiq said that on the direction of Chief Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, government has conducted a study for identifying the flaws in the system, meeting the shortage of medicines, medical equipments, doctors and improving the performance of basic health units, tehsil and district headquarters hospitals and steps are being taken in the light of this study. He disclosed that Chief Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif will soon announce a special package in this regard. Kh. Salman Rafiq said that this is the time of practical work and not holding conferences and discussions and we will have to pay attention to the problems of others by rising above personal interest and reach to the people of far-flung areas. He appreciated the efforts of Nur Foundation in this regard. Earlier, school health and nutrition experts addressing the conference stressed upon the participants to present their proposals for solving the child health problems and improving school health in the light of their experiences and study.
The participants were of the view that due to lack of education and awareness, women in rural areas are unable to resolve problems of child health and even they are unaware of washing hands with soap after using toilet and cleaning feeder due to which resistance power among child reduces and diseases spread speedily. Various core groups comprising participants of the conference were constituted which will finalize recommendations and send to health department and provincial government.