LAHORE - Advisor to Chief Minister on Health Kh Salman Rafiq has said that environmental health and proper clinical waste management is top priority of the government.
Addressing the inaugural session of two-day infection control monitoring training workshop at a local hotel on Wednesday, he said that effective infection control require regular hand washing, sterilisation of surgical equipments, injection safety, waste segregation and proper disposal of hazardous waste.
The Punjab Health Services directorate general arranged the workshop as part of Environment and Medical Waste Management Plan. Divisional Directors Health Services, Program Managers, District Officers Health and Deputy District Officers Health attended the workshop. 
Kh Salman stressed the importance of role of health managers in implementation of infection control measures and enforcement of hospital waste management rules in letter and spirit.
He issued direction to develop comprehensive action plan to scale up infection control and medical waste management plan throughout the Punjab.  He also informed that there are 23 hospital waste incinerators installed at public sector hospitals.
Technical Working Group is working to develop strategy to scale up intervention in the rest of the districts, he added. He said that government was introducing system reforms to achieve health standards set by Healthcare Commission.
He stressed the need ofmaking infection control compulsory subject for all kinds of medical and paramedical courses.
Proposal of initiating diploma courses in infection control for nurses is also under consideration. The need of establishing bio-safety lab level 3 was also highlighted in the meeting. He stressed that anti-quackery campaign is in full swing to save the people from infection.  Dr Altaf from Indus Hospital Karachi and Dr. Rosah from Agha Khan University Karachi imparted the training.