Health dept to screen differently-abled children

Health minister issues directives of crackdown against quacks across province

LAHORE: Provincial Minister for Primary and Secondary Healthcare Khawaja Imran Nazir has said that PSHD was all set to start a special campaign for medical screening of more than 31,000 differently-abled children of Punjab from March 19.

The minister expressed these views while addressing the DDHO’s conference on Friday. He said special integrated screening camps would be established step wise in 276 schools of special children across the province. The minister said differently-abled children deserve special attention not only from their parents but also from the government as well.

“The department has constituted special teams of doctors and staff for these screening camps and this campaign will continue till the screening of the last child,” he remarked.

On the occasion, Khawaja Imran Nazir said around one million people were screened in the second health week last month which was the first time in the history of Punjab. “It is not possible to save people from diseases without cracking against quacks and illegal clinics. Quacks are spreading diseases among people. Hepatitis and other deadly diseases are spreading due to quackery,” he said.

Nazir directed the DDHO to start crackdown against quackery with the help of the healthcare commission. He said the use of used syringes was a criminal offense. Auto disposable syringes have been provided at the all health facilities across Punjab.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 17^th, 2018.