Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid has said that government is taking gigantic steps towards health issues and an amount of 400 billion has been allocated for the provision of better healthcare facilities to the people of the province.
While addressing the inaugural session of the 17th Asia Pacific Congress of Pediatrics held here on Thursday, she stressed on research based education to focus on local diseases and said that the government is setting up eight children hospitals and one children university in this regard. “The children born in an institution have a better survival rate than those born elsewhere, hence, the government is setting up health facilities”, she added.
It is pertinent to mention here that PAHCHAAN Protection and Help of Children Against Abuse and Neglect and Pakistan Pediatric Association (CRG-PPA) in collaboration with Pakistan Alliance for Early Childhood and ISPCAN (International Society for Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect) is also arranging various workshop to promote positive parenting.
The minister Yasmin Rashid pointed out that we need to emphasize on the diseases afflicting us locally the mode of teaching should focus on relevant issues. She stressed on research based education because the Caucasian books studied by medical students was different from local issues.
Prof. Iqbal A. Memon, President-Elect, APPA, welcomed the participants and in his opening remarks, he emphasized on the positive parenting practices among parents and caregivers. Prof Asharaf Sultan shared the objectives and background of the workshop. He said that this year the theme of the congress is “Every New Born, Every Child, Every Where.” which is relatable where the fertility rate is still high even in a pandemic.
In a message, Dr. Aman B. Pulungan apprised the participants that the Association is working with its mission of improving the health status of children living in the region and in surrounding areas. It tries to fulfill its mission by establishing linkages amongst pediatricians in the region, providing them with educational programs to enable them to improve the services they provide and, at the same time advocating programs and health care services to provide overall benefit to children.
Prof. Heshan Jayaweera from Sri lanka in his message said that connected together, we create the largest pediatric society in the world.
