President for focus on preventive healthcare

President Dr Arif Alvi on Friday called for a greater focus on promoting preventive healthcare in the country which according to him was not only cost-effective but helped in reducing disease burden.

He said Pakistan, being a developing country, could hardly afford to fully meet the healthcare needs of its over 220 million population through curative treatments.

The president gave these remarks while chairing the fourth meeting of the Senate of the Health Services Academy (HSA), at the President House.

President Alvi said that Pakistan needed to make goal-oriented and time-bound plans to improve its public health sector. He added that preventive healthcare should be the priority of the country’s health policy. He highlighted that some countries had tremendously improved their health sectors by focusing on preventive health and investing in the intellectual development of their human resources.

The meeting was also briefed about the impacts of global warming and climate change which would likely increase the burden of diseases due to rising temperatures.

The meeting stressed the need for exploring funding options from international donors for research and development in the public health sector.

It was also emphasised to develop a resource mobilisation strategy to meet the future financial needs of HSA as well as the healthcare programmes in the country.

The meeting also underscored the importance of devising a National Plan for Public Health to effectively address the challenges being faced by the country’s health sector. The meeting also endorsed the minutes of the third Senate meeting of the Health Services Academy.

President for inculcating compassion in children

Meanwhile, President Dr Arif Alvi on Thursday advised orphan children to work hard as it was essential in order to achieve progress and success in life.

While addressing the Iftar reception hosted for orphan children at Aiwan-e-Sadr, the President emphasised the importance of developing positive traits such as compassion, love, and respect for elders.

He said that in the Holy Quran, Allah Almighty had asked for treating the orphan children well. He reiterated the value of hard work and how it would open up new avenues to progress in their practical lives.

Drawing a similarity with Holy Prophet (PBUH), the president said that the Holy Prophet had also lost his father in his childhood. While referring to the orphanhood of the prophet, he cited a Quranic verse saying, “Did he not find you an orphan and give [you] refuge?

During his interaction with the children, the President expressed that the Presidency was only a temporary position and that it truly belonged to the people, including the children. Meanwhile, earlier in the event, the Chairman of Pakistan Orphans Care Forum, Abdul Shakoor, said that Ramazan 15 is recognised as Orphans Day.

Moreover, the President also mentioned that approximately 18 welfare organisations were actively supporting over four million orphan children in Pakistan by providing them with education, healthcare, food, and other necessities. He also emphasised the need for coordinated efforts at both government and national levels to provide support and opportunities for orphan children to excel in their lives.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 8^th, 2023.