PHC, Unicef join hands for maternity centres

LAHORE: Punjab Healthcare Commission (PHC) and Unicef will collaborate in establishing maternity and obstetrics centres of excellence in the province, where the Minimum Service Delivery Standards (MSDS) will be implemented besides imparting training to the medics.

The areas of cooperation will also include standardisation of the healthcare establishments (HCEs), monitoring of the centres of excellence and introducing performance audit. The PHC and Unicef delegates reached this consensus after a meeting here on Thursday. The Unicef delegation was led by Unicef Health Specialist Dr Ted Babe, while PHC Chief Operating Officer Dr Muhammad Ajmal Khan headed the PHC delegation.

The Unicef delegation was comprised of MNCH Specialist Dr Samia Rizwan, Unicef ROSA Health Specialist Dr Sufang Guo and MNCH Officer Dr Naila Shahid. The PHC delegation included Clinical Governance and Organisational Standards Director Dr Mushtaq Ahmed Salariya, Licensing and Accreditation Director Dr Muhammad Anwar Janjua and Quality Assurance Additional Director Dr Qamar Salman.

Dr Ted said Pakistan had been successful in reducing the child mortality rate. Dr Samia said Unicef intended to align with the PHC due to its remarkable role in uplifting health department. Dr Mushtaq briefed the delegation about the MSDS, developed by the PHC for HCEs.

Dr Muhammad Ajmal said sustainability of the reforms was a challenge for which a system should be in place by using the modern technology. He underlined the need for ensuring quality healthcare services through capacity building.

Symposium: The 13th Annual Scientific Symposium of Children Hospital and the Institute of Child Health is starting from today (Friday). Medical experts and paediatricians from Pakistan and abroad will participate in the two-day symposium.

Children Hospital Dean Professor Masood Sadiq in a press conference said, “Professor Dr Sajid Maqbool and Professor Dr Tahir Masood would be the patrons of this programme.” The symposium’s Chairperson Professor Dr Huma Arshad Cheema and other doctors of the hospital were present on the occasion.

Dr Masood Sadiq said the foreign guests including Dr Khalid Shareef, Dr Ali Akbar and Dr Merry Munaza Taj would participate in the symposium whereas Professor Dr Ahsan Waheed Rathore, Professor Dr Rehan Ahmad Khan and Professor Salma Sheikh would be included in local speakers.

The paediatricians from the hospital Professor Dr Muhammad Saleem, Professor Dr Farkhanda, Professor Dr Junaid Rasheed and Dr Imran Waheed will present their research papers in the symposium.

Professor Masood said the guests would also read their research papers and present short term and long term preventive measures and advanced treatment methodology. He said a penal of senior paediatricians would suggest guidelines regarding the H1N1 (influenza) in the children. Professor Dr Tariq Bhutta, Professor Tahir Masood, Professor Dr Haroon and Dr Ali Akbar would be the members of this penal. Pre-symposium and post-symposium workshops would be organised, he said.