KARACHI: State Minister for National Health Services Regulation and Coordination Saira Afzal Tarar said that the Federal government in close coordination with provincial governments was introducing a Health Insurance Programme across the country for those people who were living below the poverty line.
Talking to journalists in a ceremony which was held here on Saturday to mark 6th Annual Research Day programme at Dow University of Health Sciences (DUHS), she said the state has to realise its responsibilities towards people with scant resources and for the purpose existent social welfare schemes are being expanded.
Replying to a question about available facilities for the people visiting government hospitals she said a collaborative approach is needed and while governments can not be absolved of their responsibilities a partnership with philanthropists may be needed.
About ongoing polio eradication campaign, she said "Civil - Military Coordination" has produced the desired results, while impression about refusals have also been dispelled as people are coming forward in increased numbers to get their under five children vaccinated against polio.
"The number of currently registered refusals has been 100,000 as compared to 1700,000 only some time back," she said.
Earlier addressing a special session organised as part of DUHS' Annual Research Day, the State Minister for National Health Services registering her serious concern about poor health indicators in the country sought researches addressing issues pertinent to healthcare that may ultimately help improve life quality of the people in general.
Appreciating that young researchers were bringing researches significant to the community level issues to upward trajectory, she said the approach must be replicated and more research must come up addressing issues relevant to the country's health care needs.
"Is it not ironical that while our children continue to die of preventable conditions the world has managed to ensure survival for diseases considered to be terminal," commented the Minister.
She regretted that research activities at DUHS were though quite extensive, however, very little of it was known to the wider community and policy makers.
Saira Afzal Tarar was of the opinion that in the present world of rapid change an agile, educated and an adaptable mind, a pragmatic and cooperative temperament, a strong ethical orientation are increasingly the keys to effective education system.
The government complies with the notion of education as a strong pillar of our faith- Islam and we also know that there is no shortcut to success but to educate our youth and future generations, she said.
The State Minister for National Health Regulation and Coordination mentioned that different government policies were in place to promote education at both primary and higher levels of schools and universities respectively.
Funding programmes through HEC have played a pivotal role in the attainment of highest degrees like PhD by our youth from international universities, she said reminding that these have helped the country to have quality research that must be shared at a broader level with equal attention to turn them as tools of mutual benefit and betterment for all the people across the country.
Appreciating tremendous presence of women in the field of medicine and other professional colleges, she said women themselves needed to be conscious of their responsibilities towards the society and must contribute towards its development.
"Achieving degrees can not be taken for granted as a source to have a value added tag but the state money used on your training and time as well as efforts put in by you must be used for the purpose they are actually meant for," said the Minister addressing the participants of the ceremony, largely comprising women doctors and researchers.
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