Adviser to Chief Minister on Health Khawaja Salman Raffique has said that the Health Department has approached its International Partner “Global Fund” for further strengthening the financial cooperation for enhancing diagnostic and treatment facilities for the tuberculosis (TB) patients in public sector hospitals and health centres.
He stated this while presiding over a meeting with Prof Abdul Bari, Chief Recipient of Global Fund and Head of Indus Hospital Karachi here on Thursday. Director General Health Punjab Dr Mukhtar Hussain Syed, Director Punjab TB Control Programme Dr Abdul Majeed and other officers concerned were present in the meeting. The meeting reviewed the steps taken for the control of TB in Punjab and facilities of diagnostic and treatment extended to the patients. Dr Abdul Majeed Chaudhry briefed the meeting regarding the awareness programme and TB control activities. He said the Punjab government with the help of Global Fund is providing free medical treatment facilities and medicine to such patients under TB DOTS Programme.
Raffique stressed the need for an effective publicity and awareness campaign against TB so that people could prevent themselves from the disease. Raffique shared his view with Prof Abdul Bari for further extending the treatment facilities and provision of diagnostic medical equipment for this purpose. He said that due to effective and vigorous surveillance, the ratio of detection and registration of TB patients have been increased Punjab therefore, Global Fund should also enhance their cooperation. Prof. Abdul Bari assured that he will put all his efforts to enhance the funding from Global Fund to provide additional facilities to the TB patients.
Meanwhile, Raffique chaired a meeting to review price hike situation of medicines. DG Health Dr Mukhtar Hussain Syed and the officers of Provincial Quality Control Board attended the meeting. The meeting was informed that some pharmaceutical companies had approached the Sindh High Court for enhancing the prices. The Punjab government is in contact with the federal government to solve the issue of increase in prices of medicines. Raffique said that though the registration and fixation of medicine price is a federal subject and Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) deals with these issues, however, Punjab government is in contact with the federal government to convey the difficulties faced by common man due to price hike of medicines. The Punjab government has also shared its concern with the federal government on this issue so that some clear strategy could be evolved to check the prices of medicines.
