Every child will be screened for various diseases before 9th class exam

LAHORE: Announcing the launching of “School Health Screening Programme” to protect children from dangerous diseases, the caretaker provincial Health Minister Dr Javed Akram said on Thursday that every child will be screened for various diseases including thalassemia before the 9th class examination.

While addressing a meeting co-chaired by him and the minister for Primary and Secondary Healthcare Dr Jamal Nasir here, he said this project will prove historic in Punjab to protect the present and future generations from dangerous diseases. For the first time in the history of Pakistan, children are going to be screened on such a large scale, he added.

He further said that final approval of the proposed legislation by the Law Department will be given by the Punjab Cabinet. The Punjab Healthcare Commission will play an important role in health screening of children, he added.

The caretaker provincial Minister of Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department Dr Jamal Nasir said that the Punjab Health Care Commission will audit all the laboratories regarding the health screening of children.

Families of patients suffering from dangerous diseases like thalassemia go through extreme pain every day, he said. Parents can save their children from lifelong disabilities through school health screening programme, he added.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023