Disease prevention: Committee to oversee healthcare for IDPs

Heads of all public hospitals are on the panel.

ISLAMABAD:

A national steering committee was constituted on Tuesday to provide healthcare to internally displaced persons (IDPs) from North Waziristan Agency.

The Steering Committee on Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences Initiative for Medical Care of IDPs has been formed by the heads of all the public hospitals of the capital, Capital Administration and Development Division (CADD) and Red Crescent. It will be headed by Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Medical University Vice-Chancellor Prof. Javed Akram.

Speaking to The Express Tribune, Prof. Akram said the committee would provide healthcare facilities to the IDPs in camps and ensure provision of clean drinking water. “The focus of the committee will be on prevention of disease rather then on treatment.”

There is a threat of an outbreak of vector-borne and water-borne diseases and there is a need to work on the root cause of their spread, he stated.

“Medical staff will focus on the well-being of mothers and children and all-out efforts will be made to ensure safe deliveries.” All public hospitals in the capital will send their medical staff including surgeons to the IDPs camp and also ambulances, he added.

“Our staff is already serving there around the clock and all pubic hospitals of the capital are ready to send more staff if required,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 2^nd, 2014.