Health minister meets SAPM: Provinces' concerns over PC-1 of nutrition to be addressed: Dr Faisal

LAHORE: Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid in a meeting with Special Advisor to Prime Minister on Health Dr Faisal Sultan here on Saturday discussed progress on Prime Minister Health Initiative, expansion in nursing colleges and other key health interventions initiated by the government.

Views were also exchanged on present situation of corona pandemic and implementation of SOPs in the province, sources said. It may be added that Punjab has recorded 210 new coronavirus cases with zero fatality during the last 24 hours. The total number of cases in Punjab is 95,203, while 2,180 people have died from the virus. As many as 1,564 additional recoveries have been recorded in Pakistan over the past 24 hours, the country's Covid-19 portal said. The total number of Covid-19 recoveries in the country is now 265,624, which makes 92 per cent of the total number of cases recorded in Pakistan.

Dr Yasmin Rashid gave detailed update on the healthcare facilities being provided in Punjab and the progress on Mother and Child Hospitals as well as other special initiatives. The team from the Prime Minister appreciated the steps being taken in Punjab.

Dr Faisal Sultan said, "The federal and provincial governments will jointly work to provide services to mothers and children facing malnutrition. The federal government will call a meeting of the provinces to address their concerns on PC-1 of nutrition. The federal government will support provinces in international trainings of faculty members of Nursing institutions. The measures for improvement in healthcare service delivery in Punjab are praiseworthy."

Chairman Prime Minister Task Force Dr. Nausherwan Burki, Secretary Specialized Healthcare and Medical Education Department Barrister Nabeel Awan, Secretary Specialized Healthcare and Medical Education Department Captain (Retd) Usman Younis and other senior officials attended the meeting.

Dr Yasmin Rashid said, "We are taking targeted steps to enhance the performance and capacity of Nursing institutions. At Basic Health Units (BHUs), Rural Health Centers (RHCs) and Tehsil Headquarters, 1710 Nutrition supervisors are providing services to address the issue of malnutrition. Similarly, nutrition support services are being provided at 58 District Headquarters and Tehsil Headquarters level hospitals. At community level, over 43,000 Lady Health Workers are providing services at grassroots level."

Dr Rashid also said: "At Punjab's public sector hospitals, doctors and paramedical staff have worked day and night for treatment of Corona patients. Under the Prime Minister Health Initiative, work on revamping of health facilities is underway in eight districts. In accordance with the vision of the Prime Minister, development in healthcare service delivery is initiated in Punjab."

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020