Punjab Chief Minister Pervez Elahi has said that polio disease has been effectively controlled in the province with the co-operation of World Health Organisation (WHO).
He said that the provincial health department has been directed to implement a comprehensive programme in order to control Hepatitis, TB and other diseases. The government has allocated huge resources for the betterment of health care system, he added.
The chief minister expressed these views during a meeting with WHO delegation, headed by its representative David Hiyman, called on him on Sunday. Special Advisor for Polio Wali Dawn, Provincial Minister for Health Dr Tahir Ali, Javed, Chief Secretary Kamran Rasool, Secretary Health Shahid Rasheed and other officers also attended the meeting.
The chief minister said that WHO and the provincial health department had played a laudable role for the eradication of polio. He said that system of teaching hospitals, district and tehsil headquarters hospitals and basic health units is being upgraded in order to provide proper healthcare to patients of big cities as well as rural areas.
He also informed the meeting that new medical colleges are being set up in the province so that the shortage of doctors could be overcome in the backward areas. Amendments are also being made in the syllabus of medical colleges in accordance with the demands of the modern research, the chief minister told the meeting.
Speaking on the occasion provincial health minister Dr Tahir Ali Javed said that polio has been controlled to a large extent and only 23 patients of polo have been detected in the province so far. Special facilities of treatment are being extended for the treatment of these patients, he added.