World Health Organization’s Country Director Dr. Michel Thieren called on the Advisor to Chief Minister Punjab on Health Khawaja Salman Raffique here today. Secretary Health Jawad Raffique Malik, Director General Health Dr. Zahid Pervaiz, Director Policy and Strategic Planning Unit (PSPU) Health Department Ali Bahadur Qazi, Director Health EPI Dr. Munir Ahmad and the members of WHO’s delegation, including Dr. Yahya Gulzar, Dr. Jamshed Ahmad, Dr. Aamir and Dr. Asif were also present in the meeting. Khawaja Salman Raffique and Secretary Health held a detailed discussion with the WHO’s representatives on the improvement in primary and secondary health sectors and prevalent polio situation in Pakistan. Secretary Health Jawad Raffique Malik appreciated the WHO Country Director for extending cooperation for holding a technical workshop for the preparation of recommendations to introduce reforms in secondary healthcare.
Khawaja Salman Raffique informed the delegation that the recommendations of the technical workshop, held in the last month have been received by the department and these would be helpful in preparing action plan for the improvement of secondary healthcare. He said that after the approval of Chief Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, the action plan would also be shared with WHO and other development partners. Khawaja Salman Raffique observed that billions of rupees would be required for the up-gradation of the infrastructure of district and tehsil headquarters hospitals, repair and maintenance of bio-medical equipment and special incentives of the doctors and nurses for the improvement of secondary healthcare system in Punjab.
During the meeting, polio situation, particularly in Pakistan, and in Punjab, was also discussed. Khawaja Salman Raffique informed that continuous, vigorous anti-polio campaigns are being carried out in Punjab, despite some security issues. He said that, during the low polio virus season, all the provinces should avail this opportunity for eradication of polio and concrete efforts should be taken for comprehensive anti-polio campaign in the country. He observed that any single province cannot eradicate polio in isolation, while having big polio virus reservoirs in many areas of Pakistan.
WHO’s Country Director Dr. Michel Thieren, while appreciating the efforts of Punjab Government for the eradication of polio said that, in Punjab lot of efforts are being made for polio eradication, but still more work has needs to be done. He said that WHO and International Community have serious concerns about the presence of polio in Pakistan. Khawaja Salman Raffique said that Chief Minister Punjab and the government also have very serious concern about the existence of polio in Pakistan, therefore tireless efforts are being made to eradicate polio. He said that special security arrangements have been made for the safety of polio workers in Punjab. Dr. Michel Thieren also appreciated the efforts by the Health Department Punjab for taking special measures to control Ebula virus. He said that the first priority of WHO and International Community is to eradicate polio and for this purpose, special focus and lot of efforts should be made on anti-polio campaigns as well as routine immunization. He said that Punjab province has taken lead by nominating Director General Health Punjab Dr. Zahid Pervaiz as Focal Person for International Health Regulations (IHR). Dr. Jamshed Ahmad of WHO informed that WHO has completed training of 6000 Lady Health Workers in six districts in Punjab, while another group of 6000 LHWs are being trained. Khawaja Salman Raffique stressed the need of a National Conference of all the provinces under the chairmanship of Prime Minister of Pakistan, in connection with the national policy to eradicate polio from the country, so that uniform efforts could be carried out in all over the country for this purpose.
