Minister vows to make country drug-free

LAHORE:Provincial Health Minister Khawaja Salman Rafique said that drugs have become a scourge of our society and it has destroyed many homes. We want to make Pakistan as a drug-free country.

He expressed these views during meeting with Regional Director Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) Punjab Brig Sikandar Hayat Chaudhry on Monday. The minister said that public awareness is very important to rid the society of the scourge of drugs. Rehabilitation measures for drug addicts in rehab centres are very important, he added.

He said Anti-Narcotics Force Punjab is taking stern action against narcotics. We salute to ANF soldiers who were martyred while fighting against drug pushers, he said. Meanwhile, the 11th syndicate meeting of the University of Child Health Sciences (UCHS) was held under the chairmanship of Khawaja Salman Rafique. The registrar university presented the contents of the syndicate agenda and all the decisions of the meeting were approved. The implementation report of the decisions of the 10th syndicate meeting was also presented on this occasion. UCHS has also been allowed to recruit two statutory posts in the meeting. The minister said that the government wanted to increase the capacity of University of Child Health Sciences. The government is looking into the delay in the construction of the University of Child Health Sciences by IDAP. He said that UCHS is the first medical school in Pakistan to produce pediatric nurses. The insurance of Central Pharmacy was approved during the syndicate meeting.

Besides this, two professors as professors Emeritus, purchase of two carry vans, appointment of Syed Azhar Abbas Shah as the project director of the university, making an agreement with Islamic Aid to build three colleges were also approved in the syndicate meeting. Four new members for academic council have also been approved in addition to approval of extension on certain seats of UCHS during the syndicate meeting.

UCHS Vice Chancellor Prof Masood Sadiq, MPA Adnan Afzal Chattha, Prof Tahir Masood, Vice Chancellor University of Health Sciences Prof Ahsan Waheed Rathore, Shahnaz Sardar, Additional Secy Finance from Dept of Specialised Healthcare and Medical Education, Pro VC Prof Junaid, Registrar University Prof Nabila Talat, MD Prof Tipu Sultan and other syndicate members also participated in the meeting.