Punjab finalises health workforce strategy

Punjab Health Department has finalized the health workforce strategy within the first 100 days of present government. This made Punjab first province of Pakistan who has done the task. Recently Punjab experience sharing workshop was organized by World Health Organization Office Islamabad and Lahore, with technical partnership of Punjab Public Health Agency, Department of Health, Government of Punjab, to present Punjab's Health Workforce Profile 2018, Health Workforce Observatory conceptual framework and Punjab Health Workforce Strategic Framework 2018-2030.
This landmark occasion for Government of Punjab marked the first instant in Pakistan that a provincial government prepared their health workforce strategy. The workshop was inaugurated by Muhammad Khan Ranjha, Special Secretary Health. The workshop brought together more than 50 senior national and international experts from Rio De Janeiro State University, University of Health Sciences, Chiang Mai Health University, Directorate General of Nursing, College of Physicians and Surgeons Pakistan, Pakistan Medical and Dental Council, Pakistan Nursing Council, Pakistan Pharmacy Council, King Edward Medical University, Health Services Academy, Tertiary Care Teaching Hospital and Department of Health officials.
CEO PPHA Dr Shabnam Sarfraz said that maternal and neonatal child health, family planning and nutrition will be amongst the top priority agenda. She reinstated the government's commitment towards addressing health workforce deficits in the province.
'It is critical that existing information is reviewed comprehensively, and utilized for extraction of actionable intelligence, before jumping to introducing new strategies or policies for health professionals', said Dr Mario Roberto Dal Poz, who was in Punjab as part of the WHO Mission. Dr Mario technically reviewed and endorsed the work done by the Punjab Public Health Agency team at the Department of Health
He lauded the high-quality model documents developed by the Punjab team and said that WHO will be using them to guide not only the other provinces but also other countries in the region. Dr Shabnam said that Punjab stands committed to handhold the other provinces for formulation of their health strategy. Punjab being the trail blazer will be sharing its learning and experiences with other provinces and shall be guiding them through development of their health workforce strategies.