Awareness of coronavirus stressed

LAHORE:Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid presided over first meeting of special committee and reviewed the measures being taken for preventing people from coronavirus.

The meeting held at the Primary & Secondary Healthcare Department was also attended by Punjab Energy Minister Dr Akhtar Malik, Secretary Primary & Secondary Healthcare Capt (R) Muhammad Usman Yunis, Secretary Specialized Healthcare & Medical Education Barrister Nabeel Ahmed Awan and others.

Both the secretaries of health department apprised the minister about the steps being taken for prevention from coronavirus.

Dr Yasmin Rashid said it had been decided to launch awareness campaign on a large scale about coronavirus across Punjab. CEOs of all districts should summon meeting of MSs of all hospitals concerned forthwith and impart awareness about coronavirus. She said doctors in government hospitals should provide awareness to people visiting hospitals.

Chinese people performing their duties on different projects should be put to screening tests. Complete awareness should be spread on electronic, print media and helpline of health department, she said.

Dr Yasmin Rashid also directed that officials of special protection unit, civil aviation and rescue 1122 should also participate in the next meeting while preventive equipments should be provided to nurses for their usage during treatment.

Dr Yasmin Rashid said on the directions of Chief Minister Usman Buzdar first meeting of special committee for the prevention of coronavirus has been summoned. Punjab government would utilise all its resources to ensure prevention from coronavirus, she said.

family planning: Minister for Population Welfare Hashim Dogar has said massive increase in population is a major issue, adding the government is focusing on resolving issues.

The minister was addressing an introductory meeting of a project mutually launched by Departments of Health and Population Welfare for public sector health and family planning facilities.

The minister said decades had been wasted feeling ashamed of talking about family planning and reproductive health. Now, it is time to address this issue individually and collectively. Let us talk about contraception and maternal matters, he added. The main objectives of family planning programme include the integration of family planning services into routine health services.

The project will train healthcare providers to deliver effective family planning services including screening, client-centred counselling and referrals and ensure provision of quality postpartum and post-abortion services by strengthening the skills and knowledge of healthcare providers.

DAFPAK-PSSD will also facilitate in result-based management to improve monitoring and reporting for evidence-based decision making and planning. The launching ceremony was also attended by department secretaries, director generals and senior technical staff of departments of health and population welfare. Representation by development practitioners included UNFPA, Unicef, consortium partners, DAFPAK partners and other relevant stakeholders.