'Health, security and economy threatened by diseases'

Speakers at a national conference held in connection with 'World Health Day 2007' celebrations have said that public-private partnership is needed as government alone cannot face gigantic task of providing quality healthcare facilities to people at gross roots level.
The conference was organised by Pakistan Medical Society in collaboration with the Fatima Memorial Hospital (FMH), World Health Organisation and Directorate General of Health Punjab, on Friday.
The speakers maintained that health, security and economy, all are threatened by diseases, humanitarian emergencies caused by natural disasters/wars or acute health risks posed by poor environment and polluted water.
Addressing the inaugural session, the representative of World Health Organisation (WHO) in Pakistan, Dr Khalif Bile Mohamud underlined the need for evolving the National Health Policy in Pakistan to cope with the health challenges, fight different diseases and improving mortality rate of mother and child to meet the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). During the last five years the performance of government of Pakistan in immunisation programme has been very well, he said, adding, WHO has launched immunisation programme in collaboration with the Health Ministry for different diseases including malaria, polio, with a monetary allocation of $15million. Besides, the WHO has been providing $50million to the government of Pakistan for next two years for different health programmes particularly for creating awareness about diseases and preventive programmes.
Dr Khalif Bile further said that epidemics, natural calamities, environmental changes and chemicals as well as the nuclear radiation's have become a threat to the health of the people of the entire world. Therefore, joint efforts of all the countries of the globe as well as societies are essential to control the serious health threats, he said.
He called for investing more and more in health sector to face serious challenges. Praising the Punjab government for introducing reforms in health sector, he said that Punjab province has shown good results in health sector. 'Punjab stands in fore-front in investing in health and promoting public health at grass root level', he said.
He further said that Pakistan is moving fast in improving the state of public health and hopefully efforts will continue for creation of a healthy society.
Speaking on the occasion, Punjab Minister for CMIT Colonel Shuja Khanzada (Retd) said that President General Pervez Musharraf, realising the situation had taken the initiative for provision of clean drinking water through installation of water filtration plants at union council level.
He stated that Punjab government was paying special attention on education and health sectors. During the last four years, the provincial government has spent Rs 10 billion on water and sanitation facilities. He said all the 1500 villages in Punjab would get clean drinking water by the end of year 2007. Emphasising upon the doctors to serve in rural areas, he said the provincial government has given special incentives to doctors serving in the rural areas.
Provincial Minister for Special Education Dr Tahir Ali Javed, on the occasion said that the topic of the World Health Day 2007 "invest in health, build a safer future" was very appropriate as by adopting preventive measures the loss of human lives could be checked and wastage of resources might be saved through proper education. He, however, lauded the role of private sector in improving the state of healthcare facilities. He said Pakistan being signatory of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) is paying special attention to check the maternal mortality and communicable diseases. He said private sector should come forward to play its due role to face the challenges posed to health sector.
Chairman Punjab Assembly Standing Committee on Health, Dr Muzaffar Ali Sheikh said on the occasion that the provincial government had taken a lead in providing modern healthcare facilities at their doorsteps. He said that developmental budget of health sector has increased to over Rs 10 billion. He said the provincial government is encouraging public-private partnership to improve public health.
Former Principal KEMC and Allama Iqbal Medical College, Professor Dr Mahmood Ali Malik said on the occasion that due to the wrong policies and priorities of the successive governments, national resources had been being wasted in the past. He lamented that the rulers had preferred to spend more money on non-development expenditures like constructing buildings and meeting expenditures on establishment instead of investing on health and education sectors. He emphasised the need for allocating more resources for the benefit of patients. He was of the view that poverty and disease could not be checked without focussing on patients' well being and preventive measures.