WHO acknowledges Punjab health deptt immunization program
Shares
LAHORE: World Health Organization (WHO) has acknowledged that Punjab Health department was successfully running the immunization program (EPI) and assured that cooperation on strengthening the public health sector would continue.
This was said by a delegation of WHO led by Dr. Hamid and Dr. Muzafir Mirza who called on Punjab Minister for Health Dr. Yasmin Rashid here Friday.
Director EPI Punjab Dr. Munir Ahmed briefed the delegation about present and future immunization strategy. Dr. Yasmin Rashid told the delegation that Polio and AIDS eradication program had been made fully functional at gross root level. “17 AIDS treatment centers were working all over Punjab. Because of better surveillance, people affected from HIV were being encouraged to register themselves. It does not mean that number of HIV positive cases was increasing” said the Minister.
“Denial mode was not good for controlling AIDS. We have to say goodbye to so called social restrictions to eradicate diseases like AIDS”, she reiterated. Moreover, she said that Punjab AIDS control program established desks in all prisons where inmates were being screened.
“Under the same program more than 1,03500 patients of Tuberculosis (TB) were also screened”, she said. Dr. Yasmin Rashid announced that Punjab would be Hepatitis free till 2030 and a comprehensive Hepatitis eradication plan has been kicked off.
“For now, 100 dedicated clinics were working in various district and tehsil hospitals”, said the minister.
Mentioning about recent Measles eradication drive, she said that coverage ratio remained 96 percent throughout the province.
“Making surveillance was our prime focus” pledged Dr. Yasmin.
The Minister assured the WHO that treatment strategy for TB and Hepatitis would be forwarded effectively.
