Daily Times

LAHORE: The Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department (PSHD) will launch a special campaign on Monday to screening more than 31,000 special children for different diseases, said Punjab Minister for Primary and Secondary Healthcare Khawaja Imran Nazir on Friday.

Special Integrated screening camps will be established step wise in 276 schools of special children across the province, said the minister while addressing the DDHO’s Conference. The minister said that special children deserve special attention not only from their parents but also from the government as well. He said that the health department had devised teams of special doctors and staff for screening camps and added that the campaign would until the screening of every child.

The minister said that around 10 million people were screened for diseases in second health week last month.

Moreover, the minister said that it was impossible to save people from diseases without a crackdown on quacks and illegal clinics. He said that quacks were spreading dangerous diseases among people, including hepatitis and others.

He directed DDHO to intensify the crackdown on quackery with the help of the Punjab Healthcare Commission.

He said that use of used syringes was a criminal offense. “Auto disposable syringes have been provided in all healthcare facilities of Punjab,” he said, adding that the Punjab Assembly had passed the Hepatitis Control Bill; therefore, registration of beauty salons, parlors and barbers could be accelerated.

Health Secretary Ali Jan Khan said that success of second health week was the result of efforts of all officers and officials of the department. He said that the department would also provide special health and hygienic kits to special children according to their illness at medical camps. “Special children need our special attention that’s why officers should work with more zeal and dedication to make camps for special children successful.”

Health Services Director General Dr Munir Ahmed directed district officers to improve surveillance of measles and dengue. Deputy district health officers were also briefed on different projects of health department.

Published in Daily Times, March 17^th 2018.