The Federal Health Minister, Mir Aijaz Hussain Jakhrani said the National Institute of Health (NIH) in the field of public health would be strengthened and made a model institution in the health sector. This observation was made by the Minster while presiding over a briefing on the working of NIH, Islamabad here on Thursday.
Additional Secretary Health, Khawaja Siddiq Akbar and IG Hospitals, Dr Qazi Abdus Saboor were also present on the occasion. The minister said institutions like the NIH serve as backbone of the health system of any country and "if we can make it better it would be a great achievement". He assured to help mitigate the financial problems of Institute and pledged all out support.
Earlier in his detailed briefing, Executive Director of NIH, Dr Birjees Kazi said the institute over the last four decades has provided vital services in public health ranging from disease control to ensuring quality of vaccines and drugs and acting as the research arm of the government.
NIH was the largest laboratory based in the health sector of Pakistan with dedicated public health agenda, he said. The institution was performing 22 different functions, 21 of which relate to public health while one was that of vaccine production.-PR