islamabad - Federal Minister National Health Services, Saira Afzal Tarar has said that the government has overcome some of the most pressing challenges of the times such as security, rocky economy and unstable markets. She was addressing the launching ceremony of Pakistan Human Resources for Health Vision (2018-30) on Wednesday in Islamabad.

The Minister said that the future of Pakistan lies in the future of its people.

“For a bright future, the people need to be able to perform their best which can only be possible if they are living healthy and productive lives. Over the course of last five years, the government has made considerable efforts towards enhancing the health services being made available to the people,” she said. The implementation of the Prime Minister’s National Health Programme is one such example, she added.

She told the gathering that the present government has coordinated consensus National Health Vision 2025, based on principle of taking everyone along, with eight thematic pillars.

A well-equipped health workforce is instrumental for strengthening primary, preventive and promoting health care system.

She further said that quality control in health professionals training is a key factor for better health care services.

No of lady health workers is required to be doubled in years to come, she demanded.

Some key points of the vision include provincial strategies in line with provincial priorities and national HRH vision should complete in 2018.

More than one million new job opportunities need to be created by 2030 along with decent working environment for health workforce both in public and private sector.

The current production capacity of nurses and midwives institutions is around 9,000 which need to be doubled over the next five years for which new nursing schools and colleges need to be put in place.

LHWs number should also be doubled from the current less than 93,000 to more than 180,000 within next five years to ensure provision of essential primary health care services at the doorstep of community.

Quality of medical and nursing education should be modernized, ensuring a system approach in the governance of these institutions as research and reliable data on HRH is critical need of the country.

The minister said that the government recognizes the supreme sacrifice rendered by health workers who have laid down their lives in the line of duty, securing the future generations of the country.