ISLAMABAD: The federal government in consultation with the federating units has decided to launch National Diabetes, Hepatitis and National Health Support Programs costing Rs6.8 billion in view of the high prevalence of non-communicable diseases in the country.
The decision was taken here on Monday during an inter-ministerial meeting on health and population participated by all provincial ministers and their representatives presided over by Caretaker Federal Minister for Health Dr Nadeem Jan.
The participants of the meeting also agreed to launch a National Hepatitis Programme at the cost of Rs35.4 billion under which free screening, diagnoses and treatment facilities will be provided across the country.
The following important areas were discussed in the meeting namely, Co-financing hepatitis and diabetes project; Updated on NHSP; CMU for GF ATM at the provincial level; Refurbishment of BHUs across the country; National New-born Survival Strategy and National Behaviour Change Strategy etc.
The meeting took major decisions on a ten-point major reform agenda for the transformation of the health sector in Pakistan. It was unanimously decided to launch the National Diabetes Program worth Rs6.8 billion to counter the high prevalence of non-communicable diseases in the country. The programme will have a major impact in arresting the high incidence of such diseases in Pakistan.
According to the programme, free screening and diagnosis facilities will be provided to the patients. The prime minister of Pakistan will be chair of the task force established in this connection. To strengthen primary healthcare it was decided to launch National Health Support Programme at the cost of $430 million.
Around 500 BHU across the country will be refurbished and will be made functional. Provincial government will bear the recurrent cost including the appointment of human resource.
To decrease neonatal morbidity and mortality new-born strategy is endorsed and will be implemented throughout the country. It will ensure the supplies and medicine are available at the primary health care level. National Behaviour Change Strategy will be introduced to equip the population with the necessary knowledge to practice health behaviours.
Cognisant of this responsibility, the Federal Ministry of Health has been striving to provide suitable platforms to ensure harmonization of various areas in health and population, particularly those which require a coordinated national approach and face common critical challenges.
The role of this forum is to provide national leadership, coordination and align roles and responsibilities of all stakeholders on national priorities and international commitments and also generate consensus on actions to address bottlenecks in implementation related to policy and strategic issues.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2023
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