33 Balochistan health officials get scholarships

The incumbent US government decided to provide scholarships for 33 Balochistan government health officials to complete a two-year Public Health degree at the Jinnah Sindh Medical University in Karachi.

According to a press release, US Consul General Mark Stroh participated in a ceremony on Monday welcoming the students, who are mid-level health managers from the Balochistan Health Department. The trained health officials will help the Balochistan government to respond to health challenges including the prevailing Covid-19 and the rising dengue virus after completion of their respective degrees.

“The pandemic has shown us the importance of preparing mid-level managers at the provincial and district levels to respond to public health challenges,” Consul General Stroh said. “The United States is proud to partner with the Balochistan Health Department to strengthen the capacity of public health professionals and save Pakistani lives.”

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The press release added that these scholarships are part of the continuing efforts by the US government to support public health in Balochistan and across Pakistan.

In addition to the scholarships, USAID is also helping Balochistan officials fight infectious diseases through the creation of a provincial disease surveillance unit, a command and control center within the Balochistan Health Secretariat. 33 district disease surveillance units have also been established across Balochistan.