LAHORE: The Punjab health department is going to expand services at as many as 19 Rural Health Centers (RHCs) through the provision of specialized healthcare and also improving TB case notification rates in underperforming districts.

This was revealed in a review meeting chaired by the Secretary, Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department (P&SHD) Nadia Saquib, to assess the progress of the National Health Support Program (NHSP).

The Director General of Health Services and Program Director, Dr. Muhammad Ilyas Gondal in his briefing gave an in-depth analysis of the integrated referral system management, which has been developed to link primary healthcare facilities with higher-level health institutions. He also discussed expanding services at 19 Rural Health Centers (RHCs) through the provision of specialized healthcare and improving TB case notification rates in underperforming districts.

Dr. Gondal further outlined the annual work plan for the Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI), which aims to increase immunization coverage by at least one percent for the Pentavalent-1 vaccine and by five percent or more for fully immunized children (FIC) in targeted areas. Moreover, he highlighted ongoing efforts to digitize cancer registry records and enhance the capacity building of healthcare managers. The status of quality improvement initiatives in primary care facilities, including the implementation of Minimum Service Delivery Standards (MSDS) and licensing by the Punjab Healthcare Commission, was also discussed.

Secretary P&SHD Nadia Saquib expressed her satisfaction with the progress achieved so far, commending the team for their dedication and commitment. She underscored the importance of sustaining the program's momentum to meet the established targets within the set timelines. However, she directed the Health Information and Service Delivery Unit (HISDU) to develop an integrated Electronic Medical Record (EMR) system and the cancer registry case record.

She also reaffirmed her commitment to transparency and accountability in the management of public health services. She encouraged the NHSP team to continue their excellent work in advancing the program.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024