ISLAMABAD: The National Institute of Health (NIH) has barred diagnostic laboratories countrywide from conducting uncertified tests for typhoid fever.
In the guidelines issued by it, NIH has directed the provincial health authorities to stop diagnostic laboratories from conducting Vidal and typhoid tests immediately, saying blood culture test is the surest way to confirm typhoid fever.
In the letter written by the Sindh Healthcare Commission, the NIH stated that action will be taken against laboratories and hospitals conducting uncertified tests.
The NIH says that outbreaks of typhoid fever are being reported from different parts of the country, especially in flood-affected areas, and some laboratories and hospitals in the flood-affected areas are still conducting these tests. The NIH states that the only validated test to confirm typhoid fever is a blood culture and that should be done.
Following the guidelines of the NIH, the Sindh Healthcare Commission has also stopped laboratories and hospitals across the province from conducting Vidal and typhoid tests.
Apart from this, Islamabad Healthcare Regulatory Authority and other institutions have also banned Vidal and typhoid tests.
Infectious disease experts say Vidal and typhoid lead to misdiagnosis of typhoid fever, often misdiagnosing people with viral fever and malaria and giving them antibiotics that are the wrong treatment.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of National Health Services and Regulations in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO) Pakistan commemorated the Universal Health Coverage Day, 2022 with the aim to raise awareness on the need for strong, equitable and resilient health systems and universal health coverage (UHC).
Minister of State Dr Mahesh Kumar Malani and WHO representative Dr Palitha Mahipala were the chief guests for the ceremony. The event was attended by representatives from Federal and Provincial Health Departments, UN agencies, Health Development partners and other stakeholders.
Abdul Qadir Patel, Federal Health Minister said: “The Government of Pakistan is fully committed to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and ensuring Health and well-being of its people. Achieving Universal Health Coverage is a foundational driver of inclusive and sustainable economic growth. Maintaining progress towards UHC is challenging and is first and foremost a political choice. Effective Primary Health Care (PHC)-oriented systems are the bedrock of equitable and resilient health systems that deliver high-quality, health care to everyone. Investing for UHC and PHC is the sure way to guarantee socioeconomic wellbeing of our communities.
Patel added that strong political commitment from National and Provincial/Federating area governments and partner organizations is an essential ingredient for overcoming barriers. He appreciated the provincial/federating area Health departments, district health offices and Health Development Partners for their extensive support and contribution towards UHC. He also appreciated WHO to organize this ceremony for UHC day commemoration.
On the occasion, WHO Representative Dr Palitha Mahipala highlighted that this year’s UHC Day theme, Build the world we want: A healthy future for all, emphasizes that to build strong health systems we need equity, trust, healthy environments, investments and accountability.
He stressed that investment in health systems is the need of the hour and urged all stakeholders to join hands and make commitment to prioritize investments for building resilient health systems that can withstand at the time of crisis such as pandemic and natural disasters to ensure “Healthy Future for All”.
WHO and Health Ministry jointly launched three reports on UHC Day (Pakistan UHC Monitoring Report 2022, Pakistan PHC profile, Status of Health Financing in Pakistan). Launch of these reports is an important step to monitor the current UHC, PHC and health financing situation at national level.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2022
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