KARACHI: The most effective way of providing access to safe drinking water, adequate food, shelter, hygienic conditions, and healthcare facilities is for the state and community to establish (and keep running) a Primary Health Care (or PHC) system. Without this, the dream of Universal Health Coverage (or UHC) – in other words the aim of WHO: “Health for All” does not have any hope of being achieved.

These views were expressed by Sadia Rashid President, Hamdard Foundation Pakistan (HFP) in her opening remarks, at the 31st online International Children’s Health Conference, on the theme “Health for All” organised by Hamdard Public School (HPS) in collaboration with HFP to mark the 7th April World Health Day 2023.

Sadia Rashid attended the event from Hamdard Corporate Head Office. She was accompanied by the president of the conference Sara Salman Zuberi, Head, World Health Organization (WHO), Sub-Office, Sindh. The conference was also attended by Dr Jamshed Ahmad, Head of WHO Office, Punjab as a Guest of Honour from Lahore online via Zoom.

Sadia Rashid further said nothing can replace an official healthcare infrastructure – not just buildings and machines, but trained personnel, and proper and free or subsidized training for them. And the establishment of institutions is not enough; there must be maintenance and quality–controlled administration.

Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director General WHO in his recorded message applauded the efforts of Sadia Rashid and Hamdard Pakistan for active initiatives and social awareness campaigns regarding general health in the country.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023