LAHORE: Punjab Primary and Secondary Healthcare department and the provincial Population Welfare department joined hands for making coordinated efforts for achieving the goal of a healthy society by utilizing human and material resources of each other.
Under this arrangement, the Population Welfare Department will impart necessary training to the lady health works of the Primary and Secondary Healthcare department for extending its services.
During his maiden visit to the Population Welfare department, Punjab Minister for Primary and Secondary Healthcare and Population Welfare Dr. Jamal Nasir directed for chalking out a comprehensive roadmap for enhancing collaboration between the two departments at tehsil level.
He further directed for providing space for setting up population welfare centers at the health units and hospitals being operated by the Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department.
Dr. Jamal Nasir directed for obtaining special permission from the Chief Minister, Punjab, for recruitment on more than 1400 vacant posts in the Population Welfare Department.
He also asked for preparing a case for seeking extension in the contracts of more than 900 community mobilizers of the Population Welfare department. He further directed for arranging residential accommodation for the doctors and staff of the department posted in remote areas and announced not to tolerate any incident of harassment of female employees in both the departments.
The minister observed that population welfare sector had been neglected for a long time but now it will be activated on priority basis as the developed countries had achieved progress by controlling population. He called for seeking support of scholars, khateebs, lawyers and other community leaders to sensitize people about population welfare.
The meeting was told that the annual growth rate of Pakistan's population was 2.4 percent while the annual population growth rate in Punjab was 2.1 percent which was lower than all other provinces.
Moreover, the caretaker provincial health minister Dr Javed Akram chaired a meeting to review the measures regarding the salary and allowances of Chairman Drugs Courts.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr Javed Akram said that drug courts play a major role in hearing cases related to drugs in Punjab. “Scammers do not deserve any discount for corruption in medicines procured for patients in government hospitals,” he said, adding: “Health department is fully following up the cases against the accused in the drug courts.”
The suggestions and recommendations of the special committee for the salary and allowances of the Chairman Drugs Courts Punjab will be taken into consideration.
Minister for Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department Dr Jamal Nasir said that the recommendations of the Finance Department will be put forward. Our concerns regarding the salary and allowances of Chairman Drugs Courts Punjab should be conveyed to all stakeholders, he said.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2023
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