The government has focused attention on development of human resource to improve efficiency of health professionals, claimed minister for Health Muhammad Nasir Khan, here on Thursday.
Addressing the participants of information sharing meeting on the development of new programmes at Health Services Academy (HSA), the minister said the capacity building is an important component of the public sector development.
He expressed government's commitment and readiness to give impetus to capacity building of public health leadership in the country. He said the new programmes started at HSA are timely and appropriate.
He said it is vital to enhance capacity building of the work force as this is the keystone in health systems development. He said it is high time for optimising the work force with needs and requirements. The minister said an area that has lagged behind in the past is capacity building of public health leadership.
He said the training of key public health professionals is an essential component of the current efforts to improve the efficiency of health system. Performance and management of human resources has also become a priority in light of the Millennium Development Goals. He appreciated the role played by the Health Services Academy in this context and said the Academy has given serious consideration to capacity building and has developed proposals on Masters and Doctoral Program.
He said these courses would enable the professionals to enhance their management and financial skills along with acumen in other cross cutting issues.
These programmes will go a long way in updating the knowledge and skills of public health professionals improving the efficiency and effectiveness of existing health system and improving the quality of public health education in the country, he added. He asked donors to give their full support to the capacity building endeavours of Health Services Academy.