29.3m families to get health cards by Dec 31: Yasmin Rashid

LAHORE:Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid has said health cards would be distributed among 29.3 million families in the province till December 31.

She stated this while reviewing the progress on Prime Minister Health Initiative and vertical programmes at the Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department. Primary and Secondary Healthcare Secretary Sarah Aslam briefed the health minister about all the vertical programmes, including the EPI.

The minister said, “All vertical programmes are providing services to patients in Punjab. Measures are being adopted to keep BHUs to 24/7 model. We want to achieve 100 per cent immunisation coverage under the EPI Programme. All MSs are being directed to consolidate data on birth registration. As per vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan we are trying to provide good quality services to people. We have ensured improvement in services through Punjab Health Sector Strategy. State-of-the-art mother and child hospitals are built in Punjab.”

Meanwhile, Dr Yasmin Rashid gave away motorbikes to district TB Labs Supervisors at the Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department here on Wednesday. The motorbikes were donated by the WHO to Punjab Health Minister who distributed keys of the bikes to the staff. The Health Minister also inaugurated the tree plantation campaign on the occasion. Present on the occasion were Secretary Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department Sarah Aslam, DG Health Services Punjab Dr Haroon Jehnagir, Head of Office WHO Punjab Dr Jamshed, Additional Secretary Admin P&SH Department Farid Ahmed, Prof Javed Ch and other officials. The Health Minister said, “Pakistan is on fifth position among 30 countries facing TB cases. Out of these patients, 60% are from Punjab. We are grateful to the WHO for the donation of these motorbikes”.

She said timely diagnosis can help control spread of TB. The WHO has also supported Punjab a great deal during the corona pandemic. Free TB medicines are being provided to people at 306 BHUs, 146 DHQs and THQs, 33 Teaching Hospitals, 13 TB Clinics and 48 private sector public hospitals. In Punjab 636 microscopy Labs, 163 Gene Expert labs, 7 BSL2 and 3 BSL3 labs are providing free diagnostic services, she said.

In year 2020, more than 500,000 people were provided microscopy services. Over 93 per cent new cases were provided free medicines. Lab supervisors have key role in lab monitoring and supervision. Today, all Lab Supervisors are being provided motorbikes with the support of the WHO,” she added.