A new project to check eyesight of school children is being launched in Punjab under Public Private Partnership Strategy (PPPS) for the social sector development by the Punjab Devolved Social Services Programme (PDSSP) so that the drop out rate of the children to be controlled by redressing the health hazards. It was disclosed by the Additional Secretary, Health and Project Director of PDSSP Muhammad Abdullah Khan Sunmbal, here on Wednesday.
He said that this programme would be implemented under a phased programme in the social sector. The Chief Minister Punjab Mian Shahbaz Sharif has already given approval of this strategy. He further informed that this programme would be implemented at district level for which an NGO Contact International would provide financial assistance.
Abdullah Sunmbal further said that the strategy would enable the provincial line departments primarily those of health, education and public health engineering department. Under this strategy, pregnant women would also be issued health cards and they will get treatment as well as diagnostic facilities in the private sector hospital by producing the health card, he added.
He said that the pilot project of this scheme is being launched in Kasur and Rawalpindi districts. This programme will be expanded in other districts of the Punjab in second phase. Abdullah Khan Sunmbal further said that under PPPS whole school development project would also be launched under which missing facilities as well as teacher training, school uniforms and books would also be provided to the school children.
Moreover, a spokesman of the Jinnah Hospital has said that MRI machine installed in the hospital is in working condition and on 1st April 2009, 30 MRI test were conducted. The spokesman further said that MRI facility to the indoor patients is being provided free of cost, adding that during the month of March 2009 a total 1464 MRI tests had been conducted.