‘Strategy to eliminate hepatitis’

LAHORE

Health Minister Khawaja Salman Rafique has said a strategy is being evolved to make Pakistan a hepatitis-free country. 

He was addressing a steering committee meeting of PKLI held here on Friday at the PKLI & RC secretariat. 

According to a handout issued here, the purpose of the meeting was to evolve a unified strategy for elimination of hepatitis in the province in line with the Punjab government’s hepatitis control programme and global health strategy on viral hepatitis.

The meeting noted that all the stakeholders should work in synergy for early enactment of Punjab Hepatitis Prevention and Control Act. This will provide implementation of policy on all aspects such as hospital waste management, dialysis, auto-destructive syringes, use of sterilised instruments and vaccination of exposed and vulnerable segments of the society.

Khawaja Salman Rafique highlighted the immense importance of the PKLI’s project and stated that in view of complex situation of hepatitis prevalence, we feel there is a need for an independent structured programme and legislative framework for healthcare professionals of Pakistan where the latest findings of hepatitis are translated into daily clinical practice based on local and international key opinion leaders, focusing on local and regional challenges and solutions. He showed concern that there is an urgent need of role clarification of responsibilities between PKLI & RC, the Punjab government and Tertiary Healthcare Department. This will help in avoiding any duplication of efforts to public service.

Dr Saeed Akhter mentioned Pakistan can immensely take benefit from the experience of other nations like Egypt and Georgia, who have been successfully combating hepatitis. He added PKLI is being planned to operate laboratory section under structured code of network that will cater to the growing number of hepatitis patients in remote areas across Punjab. This robust database strategy is being planned under sentinel sites of the state-of-the-art PKLI & RC.

Khawaja Salman Rafique and Prof Dr Saeed Akhter ensured that uniform policies and protocol with respect to diagnosis and treatment is vitally important in line with the subject of making hepatitis-free Pakistan.

Traffic lights: Punjab Minister for Primary & Secondary Health Khawaja Imran Nazir presided over a weekly review meeting of internal traffic lights of different projects here on Friday.

According to a handout issued here, special focus of the meeting was on procurement, up-gradation of drug testing laboratories, utilisation of budget, chickenpox situation and preparation for dengue control.Kh Imran Nazir directed the officials concerned to accelerate work on development schemes. 

Meanwhile, a delegation of Tayyip Erdogan Trust called on Khawaja Imran Nazir and discussed the matters of development and construction of tehsils level hospitals. 

The meeting reviewed the construction/development work of THQ Hospital, Manawan and THQ Hospital, Raiwind. The meeting decided to add more floors to THQ hospital, Raiwind for construction of operation theatres, cafeteria, laundry, store and mosque.

The meeting also decided to build mosque in THQ Hospital, Manawan. It was also discussed to hand over the THQ level hospital of Manawan, Sabzazar, Raiwind and Kahna for operating the hospital smoothly and in a befitting manner.