Punjab Health Department is endeavouring to streamline issues that affect the way health services are being provided to the masses. In this ongoing struggle, ensuring that the health staff remains up-to date and responsive to the changing needs of the community and that state-of-the-art equipment is available to complement the service provision is a major challenge.
The Systems-Oriented Health Investment Program (SOHIP) of the Government of Punjab, funded by Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) of the Government of Canada, is assisting Punjab Health Department in addressing critical systemic issues that will profoundly improve the effectiveness of the health care delivery in the province.
The Director General, Health Services Punjab, Dr Muhammad Aslam Chaudhary said on Saturday that dispensers are largest in number in the paramedics' health workforce in Punjab.
There are 5,000 dispensers currently working in the public sector in the province and several thousands are working in the private sector. However, there had been no properly defined curriculum for teaching the dispenser students nor was there a standard examination system. This led to confusion not only in the minds of the dispensers and other health staff on the role of the dispensers, but also to very low pass rates of the students appearing in the examination. As a result, the performance of dispensers within the healthcare system remained deeply flawed.
The Project Director, CIDA-SOHIP, Dr Simon Azariah explained that the reform of the Dispenser cadre was undertaken at the behest of Punjab Health Department by CIDA-SOHIP. The reform consists of a comprehensive analysis of the work and training of dispensers, job redesigning, development of a new curriculum, first ever, standard textbook and an interactive CD to teach dispenser students.
The Punjab Health Secretary has formally approved the curriculum and textbook and teaching and examination of the dispensers will now be based on the new curriculum and textbook.
This reform package is further being strengthened by training of more than 100 dispenser trainers across the province and provision of computers, multimedia projectors, printers and ancillary equipment to all 45 government dispenser training institutions in the province by CIDA-SOHIP. The reform of the dispenser cadre was possible with the intensive engagement and support of Punjab Medical Faculty and a committee nominated by the Governing Body of Punjab Medical Faculty.