LAHORE - A high level delegation of Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI) led by its Chief Executive Officer Dr Seth Berkley met Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, on Tuesday.
The meeting decided to further promote cooperation in a coordinated manner with regard to immunisation against polio, measles and other infectious diseases.
Talking to the delegation, the chief minister said that Punjab government is implementing a comprehensive programme for the provision of modern health facilities to the masses and reforms are being introduced in public health sector under Health Sector Reforms Roadmap for ensuring quality health services to the common man.
The chief minister said that the Punjab government had taken solid steps for controlling polio, measles and other diseases while serious efforts were also being made with regard to routine immunisation and concerned departments are playing an active role in this regard.
The chief minister said that he was personally monitoring improvement in health sector, control over polio, measles and other diseases as well as routine immunisation. He said that the effective steps taken by the Punjab government had helped control polio and measles. No effort will be spared for the achievement of the targets fixed in health sector, he added.
Referring to the protective measures adopted during the outbreak of dengue a few years ago, the chief minister said that elected representatives, doctors, paramedics, nurses, officers and all segments of the society played an active role in the anti-dengue campaign and set a glorious example of commitment and efficiency by defeating dengue virus within a year.
Shahbaz Sharif said that the same spirit would be displayed in future as well for achieving the targets in health sector. He said that the Punjab government was fully benefiting for modern technology for the implementation of reforms programme in health sector and the performance of vaccinators was being monitored through android phones.
He said that use of modern technology for the improvement of public health facilities was yielding encouraging results. He said that implementation of vaccination programme could also be made more effective through the use of latest technology.
Shahbaz Sharif said that provincial government had also launched mother and child healthcare programme while instructions had been issued for the improvement of tehsil and district headquarter hospitals.
He said that Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization and other institutions are extending commendable cooperation with regard to controlling polio and measles as well as routine immunization and consolidated measures will be taken in this regard in future as well.
Chief Executive Officer GAVI Dr Seth Berkley while speaking on the occasion lauded the steps taken under the leadership of Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif for the improvement of health sector and with regard to controlling polio and measles besides routine immunization.
He said that a lot of progress is being made in this regard in Punjab due to the leadership of Shahbaz Sharif. He said that use of information technology by the Punjab government in accordance with the demands of the modern age has resulted in substantial improvement. He assured that Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization will continue to cooperate with Punjab government.
The other members of the delegation said that control of dengue virus by Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif is a tremendous achievement and he is also achieving the targets of control over polio and measles as well as routine immunization.
Provincial Minster for Finance Mujtaba Shujaur Rehman, Advisor on Health Kh Salman Rafique, Chief Secretary, Parliamentary Secretary on Health Kh Imran Nazir, MPA Dr Ayesha Ghaus Pasha, and concerned secretaries were also present on the occasion.
The delegation included Managing Director Country Programme GAVI Ms Hind Khatib Othman, Director World Health Organization Dr Jean Marie, Dr. Nadia besides officials of UNICEF, Islamic Development Bank and other international institutions.
Also, Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif reviewed overall law and order situation and security arrangements in the province on Tuesday.
Presided over a meeting, the chief minister said that protection of life and property of the people was the responsibility of the state therefore, police should discharge its responsibilities efficiently and take all necessary steps for ensuring law and order in the province.  
Shahbaz Sharif directed to pay special attention to the security of mosques, Imambarghs, worship places and important places besides keep a vigilant eye on miscreants. He said that in view of changing situation, the nature of responsibilities of police has also changed.
A detailed briefing regarding law and order situation in the province was given and the meeting decided to take all possible steps for the safety of life and property of the masses.
Provincial Minister for Home Shuja Khanzada, Finance Minister Mujtaba Shujaur Rehman, MPA Rana Sanaullah, Syed Zaeem Hussain Qadri, Chief Secretary, Special Assistant Rana Maqbool Ahmed, Inspector General Police, concerned secretaries and senior officers were present on the occasion.