Training course for health professionals begins

LAHORE:Former Punjab Governor and Chairman Board of Management, Institute of Public Health Lt-Gen (retd) Khalid Maqbool Thursday stressed the need of maintaining high standards at hospitals, clinics and laboratories as human life and health were related to health sector.

Addressing an opening ceremony of a month-long training course on Minimum Service Delivery Standards for Health Professionals in collaboration of the Punjab Healthcare Commission at the Institute of Public Health, former Punjab governor said it was important to ensure that every health facility had a strong system of quality assurance and check and balance so that people had confidence in their system and did not go abroad for treatment.

More than 20 health professionals, pharmacists from private as well as public hospitals are participating in the training course as master trainers. Dean IPH Professor Dr Zarfashan Tahir, faculty members of the institute, Director Clinical Governance PHC Dr Mushtaq Silharia and other officers participated in the inauguration ceremony.

Dr Mushtaq Silharia said the Punjab Healthcare Commission (PHC) had introduced the minimum service delivery standards (MSDS), registration of hospitals, sanatoriums, private clinics and laboratories in a documented form so that the people can get the best treatment facilities. He said the PHC was actively working to introduce a culture of clinical governance in the province and the commission has introduced a robust system of regulations enforcement and monitoring so that the quality of our hospitals and laboratories can meet the standards of international organisations.

Dean Institute of Public Health, Dr. Zarfashan Tahir said the institute had signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Healthcare Commission to extend cooperation for the improvement of public health and the current course is also a link in the same chain.