Primary health care system is being upgraded:Khawaja Salman Rafique

Lahore: Advisor to Chief Minister Punjab on Health, Khawaja Salman Rafique has said that under Chief Minister’s Health Roadmap, primary healthcare system is being upgraded for the provision of basic health facilities to the citizens as well as protecting them against diseases. He said that reforms are being introduced in the system of Health Department for harmonizing it with the demands of the modern age and training of district health managers and medical superintendents on modern lines is essential for this purpose.

He was speaking at inaugural ceremony of the training of 216 Health Managers as master trainers at Punjab Health Development Center, today.

Vice Chancellor University of Health Sciences (UHS) Prof. Dr. Maj. General (R) Muhammad Aslam, Director General Health Dr. Zahid Pervaiz, Dean Institute of Public Health Prof. Moaz Ahmed, Project Director Policy & Strategic Planning Unit Health Department Ali Bahadar Qazi, Coordinator TRF Plus Dr. Anwar Junjua as well as medical experts were present on the occasion.

Kh. Salman Rafique said that professionals will have to lead in the health sector and government will provide resources and political commitment for this purpose. He said that development of health sector and provision of best treatment facilities to the masses is the mission of Chief Minister Punjab Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif and solid measures are being taken for this purpose. He said that it is time to bring changes and introduce such a mechanism under which every person is accountable with regard to his responsibilities while the entire system is constantly monitored and scrutinized. He said that Pakistani doctors are very hard working compared to foreign countries where if a doctor examines ten patients, doctors in Pakistan treat 150 patients.

Kh. Salman Rafique said that work load on tertiary hospitals cannot be reduced without strengthening primary healthcare system. He said that eight to nine hundred doctors have been posted at basic health units and rural health centers during the last few months under Chief Minister’s Health Roadmap and BHUs and RHCs are being rehabilitated. Moreover, he said that 172 assistants have recently been recruited for the monitoring and evaluation of health centers. He further said that government has eliminated political interference in Health Department and postings and transfers are being made on merit basis.

Kh. Salman Rafique appreciated the administrative qualities of Director PHDC Dr. Sohail Saqlain and said that he has revived the institution and launched several programmes of training of health managers within a very short period. Earlier, Director Policy & Strategic Planning Unit Ali Bahadar Qazi threw light on the aims and objectives of the training programme and the role of PSPU. He said that the training programme will bring about important changes at grass root level. The ceremony was also addressed by Dr. Sohail Saqlain, Dr. Zahid Pervaiz and Dr. Anwar Janjua of TRF Plus and assured their full cooperation in training of district health managers as master trainers.