Pakistan to integrate all disease control plans

Islamabad

Pakistan is planning to integrate all vector-borne disease control programmes under one umbrella in order to achieve maximum results as the mode of transmission of these diseases is the same. The Ministry of Health has conveyed this to donor organizations so that they can accordingly align their future support for the country.

Director General Health Dr. Assad Hafeez shared this piece of information at a seminar organized by the Directorate of Malaria Control here Monday to commemorate World Malaria Day. 

Representatives of the World Health Organization, other ministries, vertical programmes, academic institutions, and private sector organizations attended the event. 

Dr. Assad mentioned that the Global Fund has provided support of more than US $75 million over the last five years to implement the grant. Since 2001, Pakistan has made tangible progress in achieving the 5-year targets of the National Rollback Malaria Project. 

“National strategies, policy guidelines have been fully aligned with the WHO Regional Strategic Plans. Introduction and expansion of new and effective interventions such as the use Rapid Diagnostic Tests (RDTs), Artemesinin based Combination Therapies (ACTs) for the treatment of falciparum malaria and the promotion of Long lasting Insecticide treated bed Nets (LLINs) has brought a revolution in diagnosis, treatment and prevention programme of the country,” said Dr Hafeez. 

The director of Malaria Control Muhammad Aslam said that the Directorate of Malaria Control is implementing the grant in 43 high endemic districts of Balochistan, FATA, KP and Sindh. “With the support of Global Fund, more than 1,700 diagnostic and treatment centres have been established so that each suspected case is tested and confirmed case is treated with quality drugs. More than 5 million bed nets will be distributed in 23 districts of Pakistan to achieve universal coverage, he added.

WHO Representative Dr Qutub-ud-Din Kakar said that theme for World Malaria Day 2016 is ‘End Malaria for Good.’ He said the countries around the world have made commitment to completely eliminate malaria as promised under the sustainable development goals. “We have to fight against malaria till the end, otherwise bringing the incidence to a certain level may decrease the immunity level, which then may result in more dangerous outcome if malaria outbreak is reported.

A similar phenomenon was observed during last year in Punjab province,” he said.   Dr. Maha, project director of The Indus Hospital emphasized the role of the private sector in fighting diseases like malaria. “Public-Private-Partnership complement the strength of the government to reach areas where access would otherwise have been difficult,” she maintained.