Punjab Health Secretary Hassan Iqbal on Saturday said Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif’s priority is to provide medical facilities to the people of the province and prevention of diseases.
Addressing a seminar on measles arranged by the Postgraduate Medical Institute (PGMI), he said a new policy was being prepared to remove the gaps in the health sector. Iqbal also said the policy would soon be announced.
Former special assistant to the CM Salman Rafique, PGMI, Principal Prof Dr Anjum Habib Vohra, Lahore General Hospital MS Dr Amjad Shehzad, Paediatrics Department Prof Dr Agha Shabbir attended the seminar.
The secretary said, “We should admit that health sector is not delivering according to the expectations of the people and we have to work more vigorously to come up with the expectations of the masses.”
He said the government’s responsibility was to provide resources while the experts and health managers have to make policies and strategies for prevention of diseases and provision of best health facilities. He said the health managers, policy makers and the management have to work jointly for making a strong healthcare delivery.
He said, “If the institutions will be strong and functional we will not face emergency situation after every six months.”
He said, “The continuity of the policies is the basis of success and in the shape of the present government we have this opportunity therefore, all the people attached with the Health Department have to work with more commitment to prevention of diseases.”
The secretary said that in some sectors the department had tremendous achievements such as curbing dengue fever in the province while various countries were still endeavouring to control this menace.
Iqbal said, “We should acknowledge the services of doctors, nurses and paramedics who are serving at grass-root level in BHUs and other health centres.” He hoped that measles would be curbed by joint efforts of the government and health experts.
