Daily Times

LAHORE: Punjab interim Health Minister Dr Jawad Sajid Khan called on caretaker Chief Minister Dr Hasan Askari at his office on Monday.

During the meeting, different matters, including pace of work on ongoing healthcare projects and improvement of facilities came under discussion. Steps related to eradication of diseases like dengue, polio and Congo virus were also discussed.

Dr Askari directed the minister to ensure implementation of the plan devised to overcome dengue, polio and Congo virus. He said that line departments should proactively perform their duties in this regard. “Full attention should be paid to eradication of diseases,” he said, adding that all necessary resources should be utilised for the purpose.

He maintained that the anti-polio campaign should be made successful to make Pakistan a polio-free country. “The success of anti-polio campaign is a guarantee to healthy future of the children,” he said, adding no stone should be left unturned to make Pakistan a polio-free country in the region.

Dr Askari said that it was a collective responsibility of the society and public to jointly work to make anti-polio campaign a success. “The Health Department and other relating agencies will have to vigorously perform their duties for eradication of fatal disease like polio,” he added. He also appealed to the parents to become part of efforts aimed at eliminating polio from the country.

The chief minister said that necessary safety measures should be adopted in the wake of upcoming of Eidul Adha. “Every possible step should be taken for keeping the people safe from Congo virus and immediate precautionary measures should be taken where there is any threat of spread of the virus, he said.

He added that special screening of cattle markets should be held and fumigation drive should also be conducted there. Similarly, implementation of precautionary measures devised by the WHO should be ensured at every cost, he said. He said that health and livestock departments should take every possible step aimed at adoption of necessary precautionary measures to remain safe from the virus.

He said that dengue surveillance should be expedited and line departments should perform their duties with full vigilance. No leniency will be tolerated with regard to implementation on devised plan for eradication of dengue disease, he said. He said that provision of best healthcare facilities in hospitals was the basic right of the people because a healthy society could be formed only through the provision of necessary facilities to the masses.

The chief minister said that the caretaker government had taken steps on priority basis for early completion of ongoing healthcare schemes. The officials concerned should, therefore, proactively perform their duties so that general public could be provided quality healthcare facilities at their doorstep, he added.

Dr Askari said that billions of rupees had been released by the caretaker government for free treatment of deserving patients and added that best healthcare facilities were being provided to the people. “The resources should be further enhanced for provision of healthcare facilities to the people,” he maintained.

Earlier, Jawad Sajid apprised the chief minister about performance of the Health Department.

Separately, Dr Askari said that Senate of Pakistan was working for protection of rights of the federating units.

In his message on the eve of 46th foundation day of the Senate of Pakistan, he said that basic purpose of the establishment of the Upper House of parliament was to give representation to all federating units. “The Senate is a symbol of representation of federating units and supremacy of democracy and Senate’s role in the strengthening of democracy is pivotal,” he added.

Published in Daily Times, August 7^th 2018.