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Health plans under SAP-II reviewed

RECORDER REPORT

ISLAMABAD: Implementation of health programmes under Social Action Programme (SAP-II) was reviewed at a meeting of health officials with the representatives of donors including World Bank, ADB, EC and the Netherlands.

The programmes covered nutrition, malaria control, AIDS prevention, immunisation and TB control vaccine production.

The meeting, chaired by Ejaz Rahim, Additional Secretary, Health, agreed that an independent quality control system will be set up to certify the quality of vaccines being produced in the National Institute of Health. In case Pakistan is unable to set up this mechanism of quality assurance, an international institution will be approached to certify the quality of these vaccine before use.

The meeting decided that research would be conducted to study prevalence of malaria, AIDS, tuberculosis and mal-nutrition. The data so collected will be used to chalk out the health programmes on sound basis. The findings of the studies will also help in evaluation of these programmes in future.

Projects for implementation of 'DOTS' (directly observed therapy of short duration) for control of TB in the country will be developed. The World Health Organisation (WHO) will provide technical assistance for the development of TB control programme, malaria control programme will be accelerated by reshaping it according to the roll-back malaria initiative of the WHO.

It was decided that in future monthly meetings will be held to review the progress of health programmes assisted under SAP-II.