LAHORE: Punjab Minister for Specialised Healthcare and Medical Education Khawaja Salman Rafique Wednesday granted approval to creation of 170 posts of pharmacists at district headquarter (DHQ) and tehsil headquarter (THQ) hospitals The decision to this effect was taken at a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Health Sector Reforms held at the Civil Secretariat on Wednesday, which was chaired by the minister. Primary and Secondary Health Secretary Ali Jan Khan informed the meeting that DHQ and THQ hospitals were facing shortage of pharmacists. Subsequently, the minister gave approval for creation of 170 posts of pharmacists at the DHQ and THQ hospitals. Additional Chief Secretary Shamail Ahmad Khawaja, Specialised Healthcare and Medical Education Special Secretary Dr Sajid Mehmood Chohan, Primary and Secondary Health Special Secretary Dr Faisal Zahoor, Additional Secretary (Technical) Dr Salman Shahid, University of Health Sciences Pro-Vice Chancellor Prof Junaid Sarfraz Khan, Fatima Jinnah Medical University (FJMU) Registrar Prof Shareen Khawar, Planning and Development Member (Health) Dr Shabana Haider, Punjab Public Health Agency Chief Executive Dr Shabnum, Procurement Specialist Tayyab Farid and official concerned from finance and regulations departments were also present at the meeting. Present at the meeting, Lahore Waste Management Company (LWMC) Managing Director (MD) Bilal Syed briefed the meeting on his visit to Turkey in connection with a study on hospital waste management system. He presented his observations regarding the use of latest technology to dispose of hospital waste. Khawaja Salman Rafique said that environment and health friendly technology should be used for hospital waste management, keeping in view the ground realities and local needs. “In this connection, consultants of developed countries will be taken on board for utilisation of latest technology,” the minister added. Dr Shabana Haider was of the view that a comprehensive plan for infection control should be prepared, and the hospital waste management should be part of that plan. She gave a presentation regarding establishment of public health agency. The committee also approved creation of five new posts of professors for Institute of Ophthalmology at King Edward Medical University (KEMU), Lahore. Separately, Punjab Minister for Specialised Healthcare & Medical Education Khawaja Salman Rafique has said that promotion of health education and pre-marital mandatory thalassaemia test is inevitable for effective control of the diseases. He said that the Health Department had sent a draft law to the Law Department for approval. The minister made these remarks while addressing a media workshop on thalassaemia arranged by the Punjab Thalassaemia Prevention and Control Programme at the FJMU on Wednesday. FJMU Pro-Vice Chancellor Prof Amir Zaman Khan, Registrar Prof Shareen Khawar, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital Medical Superintendent (MS) Dr Nauman Matloob and experts from UK, including Dr Mushtaq and Dr Shehnaz, also participated in the workshop. Dr Shabnum Bashir told the meeting that DNA laboratory was working in which prenatal and other diagnostic tests were being carried out. She said that birth thalassaemia control was very important to check spread of the disease. She said that training was being imparted to doctors with the collaboration of the UHS and FJMU. She said that 536 thalassaemia cases of pregnant women had been detected. Dr Shabnum Bashir said that so far 60,000 thalassaemia cases had been registered in Pakistan. She said that although the latest treatment and diagnostic facilities had increased life expectation of thalassaemia patients, the number of thalassaemia patients is still on the rise. “Our real target is to control birth thalassaemia,” she said, adding that lack of awareness and cousin marriages were some of the main reasons behind different genetic diseases, including thalassaemia.