PM visits NIH

Islamabad : Caretaker Prime Minister Justice (r) Nasirul Mulk visited the National Institute of Health (NIH) Thursday for a briefing on recent developments and initiatives undertaken by the re-designated National Public Health Institute (NPHI).

The PM was accompanied by the Minister and Secretary of the Ministry of National Health Services. The Executive Director of NIH Prof. Aamer Ikram briefed the PM about the mandate, functions and recent developments at NIH. He explained how NIH is working for the prevention and control of communicable diseases in Pakistan, and is undertaking implementation of a five-year roadmap for International Health Regulations, Global Health Security Agenda, and Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response System (IDSRS) with a ‘One Health’ approach.

The PM was told that NIH has developed national laboratory and national bio-safety policies, in addition to having drafted the Public Health Act. Later, he was shown around the Emergency Operation Centre, where he admired the outbreak investigation and response system being developed by it.