Canada will establish Technical Support Unit in Lahore

Lahore: The University of Manitoba (UM) Canada will establish Technical Support Unit (TSU) in collaboration with Punjab AIDS Control Programme in Lahore.

It was informed during a meeting held between Secretary Health Punjab Arif Nadeem and Dr. James Blanchard, Professor, Department of Community Health Sciences and Director, Centre for Global Public Health University of Manitoba Canada, in the office of Secretary Health Punjab, here today. The Special Secretary Health, Additional Secretaries, Program Managers of Punjab AIDS Control Program and other preventive programs, Dean, Institute of Public Health and representatives of Action Aid and Punjab AIDS Consortium attended the meeting.

Dr. Blanchard gave a presentation on establishment of Technical Support Unit (TSU), in collaboration with Punjab AIDS Control Program. The TSU will be managed by the University of Manitoba. The objectives of this initiative would be to identify key program questions, to design approaches to build scientific knowledge and to translate this knowledge into policies and program designs. He informed that scientific knowledge management process was critical to ensure that program decisions are well-targeted. Dr. James Blanchard further stated that UM had provided technical assistance for science-based programming in India and several other countries of Asia and Africa. Recently, UM has provided leadership to a global “Program Science” initiative, which brings together scientists, policy makers and program implementers to promote translation of scientific knowledge into improved HIV prevention program design and implementation.

The Secretary Health acknowledged the need for introduction of scientific research into preventive programs. The usefulness of collaboration of Public Health Institutions with the preventive programs was also appreciated by the Secretary Health. Arif Nadeem endorsed the proposal presented by Dr. James Blanchard in principle; and discussed the modalities to proceed further. It was decided that a concrete proposal along with the work plan shall be furnished to the Health Department. It was also decided that the initiative would start with the HIV/AIDS Control Program and later on it will be expanded to other programs such as MNCH Program.