Ministers review progress on family planning

LAHORE:Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid and Minister for Population Welfare Col (retd) Hashim Dogar chaired a meeting to review performance of different committees on family planning and way forward at the Population Welfare Department here on Thursday.

Secretary Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department Capt (retd) Usman Younis, Secretary Specialized Healthcare and Medical Education Barrister Nabeel Awan, Dr Khurram Khan, Ali Babar from Population Welfare Department and Dr Zulfiqar Ali were present in the meeting. The officials of the Population Welfare Department gave a progress review and tabled suggestions to improve the performance.

Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid said, “Burgeoning population is hampering development of the country. We need target-based strategies to achieve population control objectives. Steps must be taken to revive district committees and all stakeholders need to come together to create awareness among the people. There must be a monthly review meeting to assess the performance of these committees.” Minister for Population Welfare Col (retd) Hashim Dogar said, “The district population welfare officers must play important for generating awareness among people on family planning. The role of religious scholars is pivotal in creating awareness among the people.”

Later, shields were presented to Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid, Secretary Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department Capt (retd) Usman Younis and Secretary Specialized Healthcare and Medical Education Barrister Nabeel Awan.

MS THQ suspended: Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid has suspended Medial Superintendent Tehsil Headquarters Hospital Chichawatni Dr Shahid Rasul and ordered transfer of Cardiologist Dr Samar Hussain here on Thursday. On directions from Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid, Director General Health Services Punjab Dr Haroon Jehangir made a surprise visit of THQ Chichawatni with his technical team. The DG Health checked doctors attendance, medicines provision, emergency services and cleanliness arrangements. The Health Minister said, “Hospital waste must be disposed off according to SOPs. The Infection Control Committee must be immediately made functional. No negligence, both professional and about treatment, shall be tolerated in hospitals. On directions from Chief Minister Usman Buzdar, monitoring of all hospitals shall continue. The staff serving patients must be appreciated whereas staff showing negligence shall face disciplinary action.”

eye cancer: Lahore General Hospital (LGH) is a unique institution for the treatment of cancer in children and pediatric eye cancer where all modern facilities are available free of cost under one roof. These views were expressed by Principal Post Graduate Medical Institute & Ameer Uddin Medical College Prof Dr Sardar Muhammad Al-freed Zafar while addressing a special ceremony held in the Pediatric’s Ward of LGH on the occasion of World Cancer Day. He said that this year's theme on cancer is "I Am & I Will" which aims at it is a symbol of courage, perseverance and steadfastness and urges the physicians as well as the patients to fight against this disease and never give up, so we must continue the treatment with determination and faith in Allah Almighty.

Prof M Shahid, Prof Agha Shabir Ali, Prof M Moin, Dr Aftab Anwar, Dr Sana Riaz, Dr Muzammil Azam, Dr Shah Zain, Nusrat Tahira, Zuneera Anwar, Shazia Farooqi, young doctors and parents of the children were also present on this occasion.

PIMA: The Pakistan Islamic Medical Association (PIMA) has stressed the need for an integrated and organised system for corona vaccine use, saying that national harmony should be demonstrated beyond politics, regionalism and self-interest.

In a press release on Thursday it said legislation and oversight of all phases were urgently needed on delivery of vaccines to the private sector if the vaccine was to be kept within the purchasing power of the common man. Stringent measures were needed to prevent black marketing and rising costs.