Community-based course: Health group en route to Japan for training

Course designed for young health educational professionals, is expected to enhance capabilities of participants

The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) dispatched an 11-member group for an 18-day course on “community-based health operation and management” in Japan.

A sendoff ceremony was held at a local hotel on Wednesday where JICA Chief Mitsuyoshi Kawasaki said community-based health education was a crucial part of the overall health programme of a country. “Without community’s awareness and basic health practices such as sanitation, child immunisation and antenatal care, we can never eradicate polio from Pakistan nor improve child or maternal mortality,” he said.

Addressing the outgoing delegation, Kawasaki said “I strongly hope you will return to Pakistan with a firm commitment to make a difference in community health services. Also, I hope you make lifelong friends during your visit to Japan”.

The training programme for young leaders of Pakistan has been initiated by the government of Japan under a technical cooperation scheme.

The course has been designed for young health educational professionals and is expected to enhance capabilities of participants.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 8^th, 2015.