UK to help set up disease surveillance system

LAHORE
Public Health England, Britain would extend technical cooperation in establishing an Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response System in Punjab. Department for International Development (DFID) UK would provide funding for this project.
It was announced by Secretary Health Jawwad Rafique Malik at a meeting with the Consultant for International Public Health of Public Health Department England, Dr Annette Luker, at Civil Secretariat, according to a handout issued here Thursday. Director General Health Dr Zahid Pervaiz, Provincial Coordinator of TRF Plus Dr Anwar Janjua, Representative of DFID Dr Ayesha and Director Policy and Strategic Planning Unit (PSPU) Ali Bahadur Qazi were also present in the meeting.
Dr Annette Luker said that her department would extend full technical assistance for evolving comprehensive Strategy for Disease Surveillance and Control. Dr Anwar Janjua said that Public Health England would provide technical assistance for setting up disease surveillance and response system while DFID would provide funding for this project.
Secretary Health Jawwad Rafique Malik said that Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif was keen to establish a strong and vibrant system in Punjab for epidemic and vector-borne disease control for which government would provide financial resources. He said the Punjab government would welcome the cooperation extended by Public Health England to establish an Institute for Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response in Punjab.
Jawwad Rafique Malik said the Punjab government was planning to enhance the role of Institute of Public Health in disease control, research and alert generating against vector-borne diseases and epidemics.
He observed that there was a need to strengthen the IPH in this regard. He said that IPH would be reorganised on modern lines keeping in view the research and disease control like dengue, malaria, Ebola, Congo and MERS etc.
Representative of DFID Dr Ayesha said that public health experts of CDC Atlanta would also extend cooperation for setting up an integrated system for epidemic control and response in Punjab.