LAHORE - Director of Punjab TB Control Programme (PTP) Dr Zarfishan Tahir has urged non-governmental organisations to focus on identifying missing TB patients, their registration and start of treatment.

Chairing a meeting of partners of TB Control Programme at Pakistan Anti-TB Association (PATA) office on Wednesday, she stressed the need for sensitising people that TB was curable. The meeting reviewed the performance and achievements of partner NGOs. The participants also discussed future strategy. Representative of Mercy Corps, Green Star, PATA, ASD, PLYC and INDUS attended the meeting. Additional Director PTP Dr Asif, Dr Usman, Dr Jaweria, Manager Global Fund Zubair Ahmad Shad and President PATA Ch Manzoor were also present.

Dr Zarfishan Tahir stressed the need of efficient use of resources provided by the government as well as Global Fund. She advised that screening vans should be used for reaching hard areas for screening of new/missing TB patients. She said that latest Gene Expert Machines have been provided in the hospitals. She said that so far 80,000 registered TB patients have been screened for HIV/AIDS.

Minister inspects mother and child hospitals

Minister for Health Dr Yasmin Rashid on Wednesday chaired a meeting to review establishment of mother and child hospital in five districts. Mother & Child Hospital will be constructed in Bahawalnagar, Attock, Rajanpur, Layyah and Mianwali. Simultaneous ground breaking of the hospitals was suggested in the meeting.

The minister said that dedicated mother and child hospitals would be set up for the first time in the history of Pakistan. “Pakistan is amongst countries with highest maternal and neonatal mortality rate”, she said, adding, hospitals would be set up in districts lacking proper health facilities. She directed the relevant officials to prepare PC-I of the project for approval from Chief Minister.

Meanwhile, Dr Yasmin Rashid presided over a meeting of Punjab Health Foundation that approved Road Show on interest free loans for private sector doctors, homeopaths and hakeems. Road Show would be arranged on November 18 in Lahore.  She directed MD PHF to invite all stakeholders for consultation.

Doctors Security
Bill reviewed

Adviser to Chief Minister on Health Hanif Khan Pitafi chaired a meeting to review proposed draft of Doctors Security Bill.

Vice Chancellor of Fatima Jinnah Medical University Prof Amir Zaman Khan, representatives of doctors’ bodies and officials from health and law departments attended the meeting. “There are some problems but overall performance of doctors at public sector health facilities is satisfactory”, said the adviser. “The government is aware about workload but serve with smile should be motto of doctors”, he said.

Referring to incidents of manhandling of doctors at different hospitals, he said that no one could be allowed to harass people serving the ailing humanity. “Harassing doctors on duty and damaging public properties would be made non bailable offence”, he said. He stressed the need of further improving the existing security system at hospitals.