Sindh Minister for Population Welfare Jam Mahtab Hussain Dahar has said that government was committed to provide essential healthcare facilities to the public.
Talking to state-run television, Dahar said that due to shortage of human resources, the department was unable to achieve its targets in the past, but now all efforts are being made by the government to fill all vacancies in the department.
The quota of lady health workers has also been increased to provide free healthcare facilities, especially in low poverty areas. He said that government of Sindh has planned to provide 11,000 employment opportunities in health sector.
He also assured to provide at least 20 mobile units to the Sindh health department. Besides this, he said a meeting of inter-provincial ministers will soon be held to adopt a comprehensive plan of action in this regard. The Minister said that effective healthcare system was key to achieve MDGs and, crucial for improving the health of the people.
"This will provide an overall vision for public health development, based on the "Health for All" approach. We will pay special attention to the issues of accessibility, affordability and acceptability of health services by the general population," he added
The Minister said, focus is being shifted to expanding curative care to embrace preventive, high-tech, cost intensive healthcare, primary health care, with investments in both the urban and rural areas.
The health sector can play direct and significant role in achieving three goals: reduction in child mortality, improving maternal health and combating HIV/AIDs, Malaria and Tuberculosis in addition to playing catalytic role in the other areas, he added.
In view of the high prevalence of Viral Hepatitis in the country, a national programme for prevention and control of Hepatitis has been launched with a sizable budget.
"We are also planning to include non-communicable disease prevention, control and health promotion as a major programme area, part of the forthcoming health policy", he said. The Ministry of Population Welfare was the main executing agency of the national programme, while implementation of field activities is the responsibility of the Population Welfare Departments in each of the four Provinces, headed by a Secretary, he added.
The implementation of the national programme for family planning and primary health care is a timely and much-needed response to the healthcare needs of the rural communities in the country, he said.
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