Education can end poverty, says minister

LAHORE
PUNJAB Minister for Education Rana Mashhood Ahmad Khan has said that the importance of supplementary reading is vital and only those nations have progressed which involved themselves in reading, writing and learning new knowledge.
He was speaking at an event ‘Unblocking the Power of Reading’ organised by Idara-e-Taleem-o-Aagahi (ITA) and Dubai Cares.
Rana Mashhood said the Punjab government was working a lot to improve the curriculum and textbooks to inculcate passion of reading among students. Moreover, topics against increasing intolerance in society would also be included in the curriculum, he added.
He said the menace of poverty, unemployment and ignorance could be eliminated through power of knowledge.
He said he himself would adopt a school of his constituency under the programme ‘Parho Punjab-Barho Punjab’. He read out a poem of renowned poet Amjad Islam Amjad and explained its meaning to the students.
Sindh team: Adviser on Health Kh Salman Rafique has said that implementation of Chief Minister’s Health Roadmap has been started for the upgradation of healthcare delivery system and provision of better medical facilities to the masses.
He said Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has provided a sum of Rs2 billion for special pay package of specialist doctors of district and tehsil headquarters hospitals while funds of Rs1.5 billion had been given for the renovation of infrastructure of the above mentioned hospitals. He said a proposal was under consideration to give age relaxation to doctors for the rehabilitation of basic health centres.
He was talking to a 14-member delegation of officers of Health Department Sindh in the committee room of Directorate General Health Punjab, here Tuesday.
Salman Rafique informed the delegation about reforms in healthcare delivery system in Punjab and the measures taken for the upgradation of primary and secondary health sector.
Dr Zahid Pervaiz said a list of 247 medicines for THQ hospitals and 268 for district hospitals had been prepared and their availability would be ensured.
The members of the delegation of Sindh Health Department appreciated the efforts of the Punjab government and Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif for improvement of health sector in the province.