Primary healthcare system would be made more stronger: Secretary Health

Lahore:  Secretary Health Punjab Hassan Iqbal has said that recommendations have been formulated for the strengthening and activating of primary healthcare system to ensure provision of health facilities in remote areas which will be made a part of the healthcare system after approval of the chief Minister.

While presiding over a meeting for the provision of health facilities to the people in remote areas through strengthening of primary healthcare system  Secretary Health Punjab Hassan Iqbal said that that Millennium Development Goals(MDGs) can also be achieved through improving primary healthcare system.

Former Special Assistant to Chief Minister Punjab on Health Kh. Salman Rafique, Vice Chancellor King Edward Medical University Prof. Dr. Faisal Masood, Vice Chancellor University of Health Sciences Maj. (R) Muhammad Aslam, Additional Secretary Health (Admin) Azmat Mehmood, Additional Secretary Development Usman Moazam, Additional Secretary Establishment Asfand Yar Khan, Additional Secretary (Technical) Dr. Anwar Janjua, Director General Health Punjab Dr. Tanveer Ahmed, Coordinator Lady Health Workers Programme Dr. Akhtar Rashid Malik, Director Punjab Health Sector Reforms Programme Farasat Iqbal as well as other concerned officers were present.

Secretary Health gave presentation to the meeting for strengthening of primary healthcare system and sought proposals of the participants. He said that Basic Health Centers and Rural Health Centers play an important role in primary healthcare system and by making these Health Centers fully functional not only medical facilities can be provided to rural masses at local level but success of EPI Programme can also be ensured. He said that effective implementation of healthcare delivery system reductioni of maternal mortality rate as well as curbing of seasonal and infectious diseases is possible only through strengthening of primary healthcare system.

Former Special Assistant of Chief Minister Punjab on health Kh. Salman Rafique said that the recommendations formulated by health department for strengthening of primary healthcare system are practicable. He said that a briefing will be arranged shortly for the approval of these recommendations from the Chief Minister. He said that provision of modern health facilities and saving the people from epidemics is the top priority of the Punjab government and solid measures are being taken for this purpose.