Sindh's schoolchildren to undergo annual blood tests

CM also seeks ANF's help to take down organised drug mafia in the province

KARACHI: To keep better track of health issues that could be affecting kids, the Sindh government has decided to conduct annual blood screening of all students at public and private sector schools in the province.

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah made the decision on Tuesday in a meeting with Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) Director General Musarrat Nawaz Malik at CM House.

Health Secretary Fazal Pechuho, Home Secretary Qazi Shahid Pervez, Principal Secretary to CM Sohail Rajput and ANF Karachi Commander Noorul Hassan also attended the meeting.

Shah said after reading news reports about students in the federal capital using drugs, he had become worried about the students receiving education and living in hostels in Sindh.



Shah sought the ANF DG’s help for the Sindh government to combat this menace. Malik, in response, said he was aware of the issue and his force had begun working on it.

The CM added that his government had already launched a targeted operation against the drug mafia and needs ANF’s help to eliminate organised gangs involved in the supply of narcotics items in the city.

Speaking about annual blood test for schoolchildren, Shah said the government would bear the cost for public sector students while private sector educational institutions would be instructed to start a policy of screening of blood of each and every student at least once in a year.

This, he added, would help control of different diseases such as hepatitis.

The CM directed Health Secretary Pechuho to make a proposal for the purpose and also instructed his principal secretary to issue his directives to the education department, work out a detailed plan and submit to his office for approval.