Department of Health Promotion established

With focus on creation of a healthy society, the Punjab government has set up a Department of Health Promotion at the Directorate General Health Services, Punjab that has extended health promotion approach to non-communicable diseases (NCDs) especially cardiovascular, cancer, diabetes and mental illnesses.
This was revealed in the 4th meeting of the provincial Health Promotion Advisory Group held under the auspices of the Health Promotion Department of the Directorate General Health Services, Punjab with the technical and financial assistance of CIDA-funded Systems-Oriented Health Investment Program (SOHIP). Dr Muhammad Aslam Chaudhry, Director General Health Services Punjab, chaired the meeting.
The meeting was also attended by Professor Dr Sherharyar, Oncologist King Edward Medical University, Professor Dr Muhammad Azhar, Cardiologist Punjab Institute of Cardiology, Professor Dr Nusrat Habib, Psychiatrist & Chief Executive Punjab Institute of Mental Health, Dr Ali Jawa, Associate Professor Endocrinology, Allama Iqbal Medical College, Dr Sabiha Khurshid, Provincial Co-ordinator MNCH Program and Dr Tanveer Ahmad Provincial Manager, LHWs Program besides provincial health managers, directors and academicians.
Dr Simon Azariah, Project Director CIDA-SOHIP, in his welcome address explained that the Health Promotion (HP) had been taken up seriously by the present leadership of Punjab. The Health Promotion Advisory Group was formed by CIDA-SOHIP to function as a collective brain for Health Promotion for the province of the Punjab and the same has now been institutionalised at the HP Department. The Director General Health Punjab, Dr Muhammad Aslam Chaudhary said that formal training modules have been developed in collaboration with professors of the relevant diseases assisted by HP Department and CIDA-SOHIP.
The senior professors gave detailed presentations on their prepared training guidelines and manuals and took suggestions from the participants. The information presented was eye opener for the participants as many myths and misconceptions were demystified and clear strategies for prevention and control were laid out.