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Number of health plans

in pipeline, says Kasi

ISLAMABAD: Federal Health Minister Dr Abdul Malik Kasi has said that a number of programmes have been launched to improve health and hygiene.

He was speaking at a function on "World Leprosy Day 2000" organised by German Leprosy Relief Association (GLRA) and its partners on Sunday, where the President Mohammad Rafiq Tarar was the chief guest.

Dr Malik Kasi said the government attaches priority to the health sector and a number of improvement plans are in the pipeline.

Highlighting the importance of the World Leprosy Day, he said that GLRA has been fighting against leprosy, tuberculosis and blindness in collaboration with national Leprosy Control Programme of Pakistan (NLCPP) and non-governmental organisation (NGOs) for the last four decades and has achieved remarkable results.

However, he urged the community to participate in these programmes so that these may be made a complete success by making the country free of these diseases.

He reiterated the commitment to continue help and assistance to all NGOs and others working in the field to serve ailing humanity.

Stressing the youth for acquiring knowledge about the disease like leprosy, the minister said that the people should learn more about this curable disease to help eradicate it at individual as well as collective levels.

He urged philanthropists to contribute more to these programmes.ÑAPP