APTMA constructs state-of-the-art dialysis centre at Jinnah Hospital

Lahore: Advisor to Chief Minister Punjab on Health Kh. Salman Rafique has said that Health Department is taking all necessary steps for ensuring millennium development goals 2015 with regard to controlling death rate of mother and child and improving their health. He said that health educators are being improved.

He said this while inaugurating mother and child health week at government Nawaz Sharif Hospital Yakki Gate today.

Additional Director MNCH Programme Dr. Tanvir, Programme Director of Lady Health Workers Javed Omer, representative of UNICEF Dr. Tahir Manzoor, MS Dr. Shafqat, Principal Allama Iqbal Medical College Prof. Mahmood Shaukat, MS Jinnah Hospital Dr. Abdul Rauf, Prof. Dr. Waseem Akhtar, SM Tanvir, a philanthropist from Karachi, besides other concerned officers were present

on the occasion.

Kh. Salman Rafique visited various stalls. The mother and child health week will continue till May 17 in 34 districts during which 50 thousand lady health workers, lady health supervisors and other staff will convey the health message door to door. He said that counseling will be done with pregnant women so that they should arrange delivery under the supervision of a qualified doctor, lady health visitor or skilled birth attendant which is necessary for protection of lives of mother and child.

He said that women would be advised to act upon hygienic principles and wash the hands with soap before taking meal and after using bath room. He said that parents would be motivated to ensure timely vaccination of their

Medical experts are of the view that 10 percent death rate of the children can be reduced through washing hands with soap and other protective measures. Dr. Tanvir told that the theme of this week is to save from diarrhea. He told that health education sessions will be arranged with 40 lakh women during this week.children.

Kh. Salman Rafique said that mother and child health week have proved helpful in creating awareness among the rural women about health. He directed that vigorous efforts should be made for achieving the targets fixed for this week.

Meanwhile, Kh. Salman Rafique along with Secretary Health visited state-of-

the-art dialysis centre constructed by Chairman APTMA Gohar Ijaz at Jinnah Hospital. Gohar Ijaz told that he had constructed this centre eight years ago in the memory of his late father where 12 dialysis machines are working and sixty three thousand dialysis have conducted so far. He told that attendants are looked after in this centre. He further told that the expansion of the building of the centre has been completed and more 19 dialysis machines have been installed. Cash prizes have been distributed among the doctors, nurses and paramedical staff for showing best performance in the centre at the function.