KARACHI: The healthcare commissions of Punjab and Sindh will collaborate to further improve the healthcare service delivery systems of both provinces and working groups will be constituted to benefit from their respective ambits of functioning.
This was decided between the two sides in a meeting held at the Punjab Healthcare Commission’s office in Lahore on Friday.
Chief Executive Officer Sindh Healthcare Commission (SHCC) Dr Ahson Qavi Siddiqi led a seven-member delegation comprising directors of various departments. CEO Punjab Healthcare Commission (PHC) Dr Muhammad Saqib Aziz led his team. Directors and heads of departments of both Commissions gave detailed briefings about their respective areas.
The officials discussed various aspects and issues of quality assurance in the healthcare service delivery, implementation of rules and regulations, minimum service delivery standards (MSDS) and their enforcement in the healthcare establishments (HCEs) of both provinces. The visiting delegates appreciated the PHC for its success in bringing reforms to the provincial health sector.
While welcoming the SHCC delegation, Dr Saqib Aziz briefed it about the regulatory framework, jurisdiction, working, mandate and achievements of the PHC. He suggested the formation of a national coordination committee of all the provincial healthcare commissions for mutual learning, similar and equal implementation of health reforms, rules and regulations across Pakistan.
Dr Ahson Siddiqi briefed the meeting about the SHCC, and its performance regarding anti-quackery, registration and licences, rules and regulations, MSDS and their enforcement. He also pointed out areas for mutual collaboration and learning.
Sindh Healthcare Commission’s team was briefed about the PHC’s performance, and they were told that so far Punjab Healthcare Commission had registered more than 64,000 and licensed over 41,000 Healthcare Establishments, sealed 34,345 illegal treatment centres and trained over 25,000 health professionals.
Dr Ahson Qavi appreciated the milestones PHC achieved so far and committed that SHCC initiative will gain momentum by learning from strategies and challenges faced by PHC in its journey to current level.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2021