MoU signed

Islamabad: Health Services Academy (HSA) and John Hopkins University Centers for Communication Programmes signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) Thursday to bolster capacity building in the area of health communication in Pakistan.
The director general of health and head of HSA Dr. Assad Hafeez and Susan Krenn, executive director of John Hopkins University Centre for Communication Programme signed the MoU. Minister for Health Saira Afzal witnessed the ceremony on behalf of government of Pakistan.
Speaking on the occasion, Saira said, health education and promotion is the key to improved lives. “ other challenges faced by Pakistan, promoting positive health behaviors is a huge challenge, and behaviors can only be changed through effective communication and education,” she remarked, while congratulating USAID, Johns Hopkins University and HAS for the initiative.
Dr. Assad Hafeez termed the partnership a landmark initiative as an institution of global standing i.e., John Hopkins University and a premier public health institution of Pakistan i.e., HSA were entering into an agreement to promote an area of public health which requires special focus. He said, the capacity building programme in health communication, the first of its kind in the public sector, would fill the void and allow for faculty exchange between the two institutions along with initiation of joint research in the area.