LAHORE: Punjab Minister for Primary and Secondary Healthcare Khawaja Imran Nazir has said focus of the government is on the strengthening of routine immunisation, enhancement of deliveries through Skilled Birth Attendants, malnutrition and hepatitis control and for this purpose steps have been taken by health department.
He said the government has released Rs807 million grant to health councils and now all the hurdles for day to day expenditures have been removed. He directed that issues of availability of UPS, repair of washrooms and provision of drinking water for the patients should be resolved.
He stated this while presiding over a meeting of district coordinators of IRMNCH and nutrition programme at a local hotel, according to a handout issued here on Sunday. Besides, Secretary Health Ali Jan Khan, director programme Dr Mukhtar Husain Syed, Additional Director Dr Akhter Rashid Malik, representatives of international development partners, officers of health department and all the DOCs attended the meeting.
Khawaja Imran Nazir said rural ambulance service has been introduced in the province and presently 193 ambulances are providing service to the pregnant women and 200 ambulances would be included in the system very soon. He said that besides providing emergency service to the expectant women, registration of pregnant women is also carried out for data collection so that when ambulance required it could be provided to them. He said that lady health workers (LHWs) should play their pivotal role for this purpose.
Secretary Health Ali Jan Khan informed that SNE, service book and service rules of LHWs would be implemented by the next year. The secretary emphasised the need of promoting awareness regarding safe deliveries through Skilled Birth Attendants for overcoming maternal mortality. He directed that district coordinators of IRMNCH should come forward and lead a comprehensive awareness campaign through LHWs in their respective districts. The minister said the government has provided billions of rupees for hepatitis control programme and now this is the prime responsibility of district officers to work hard for making this programme successful.