Amraiz Khan
Punjab Health Minister Dr. Yasmin Rashid Dr Yasmin Rashid on Friday said that free treatment and diagnosis services are being provided to HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis and TB patients across Punjab.
“The Punjab AIDS Control under the Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department is facilitating HIV/AIDs patients besides screening of HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis and TB is being gradually scaled up in the province.”
Dr Yasmin also termed awareness on HIV/AIDs extremely important. Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid was talking to a delegation of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP).
During the meeting, the minister discussed way forward for controlling corona and HIV/AIDS in Punjab with the delegation members.
The delegation consisted of UNDP resident representative Aliona Nikolita and Assistant resident representative Amir Khan Goraya.
Additional Secretary Specialized Healthcare and Medical Education Dr Salman Shahid was also present on the occasion.
The resident representative appreciated the measures taken by the Punjab government to control the corona pandemic and HIV/AIDS.
On the occasion, the minister informed the UNDP team that an FM Radio is being launched in Punjab to generate awareness about diseases. “
The progress on all vertical programs is being monitored regularly. Punjab is making all out efforts to battle corona and vaccination has been gradually increased. We are ensuring compliance with SOPs,” Dr Yasmin pointed out.
UNDP Resident representative Aliona Nikolita appreciated Punjab strategies for controlling the corona pandemic and assured full cooperation for the control of HIV/AIDs.
Meanwhile, Health Minister Dr. Yasmin Rashid met Mission of the Global Alliance for Vaccination and Immunization to discuss the pace of immunization coverage in Punjab.
GAVI Country Manager Alexa Reynolds and members of the international developments partners discussed a number of key health issues with the minister.
Additional Chief Secretary Irum Bukhari, Secretary Primary and Secondary Healthcare Sarah Aslam, Additional Secretary P&SH Dr. Asim Altaf, Director General Health Service Dr Haroon Jehangir, Director Expanded Program on Immunization Dr Mukhtar Ahmed and members of partner organizations were also present on the occasion. The representatives of World health Organization and Unicef also attended the meeting.
The main agenda was performance of the Expanded Program on Immunization and way forward for improving immunization coverage in Punjab.
Country Representative GAVI Alexa Reynolds appreciated the efforts of Punjab Expanded Program on Immunization for improvement in immunization coverage to 89% as per latest surveys.
The health minister said: “The support of GAVI has been extremely important in improving healthcare services in Punjab.
We will further improve immunization coverage with the support of GAVI as they have always provided support to the government.
The EPI Program deserves appreciation for taking the immunization coverage to over 89%. Punjab is currently leading the coverage in Pakistan.”
Additional Chief Secretary Iram Bukhari said the ownership from administrative departments helped improve immunization coverage and the administrative teams are committed to controlling vaccine preventable diseases.
GAVI representative Alexa Reynolds said that GAVI would continue to support the Punjab, especially EPI Program and efforts of the EPI Program are praiseworthy.
