Health standards: PU, WHO to develop course on health rights

LAHORE:

The World Health Organisation and the Punjab University’s Institute of Social and Cultural Studies announced in a press statement on Wednesday that they would design curricula to train healthcare professionals.

The idea is to improve health and sanitation standards in the country, the press statement said.  A meeting to discuss the project was held at ISCS on Wednesday. Masooma Butt, a representative of the WHO, principal investigator Dr Muhammad Zakria Zakar and co-principal investigator Dr Rubeena Ashraf attended the meeting.

Dr Zakar said in order to improve general health of the population, it was essential to train healthcare professionals including doctors, dentists, nurses, pharmacists and paramedics. Dr Zakar and Dr Ashraf shared theoretical and practical parameters of the study according to the WHO’s framework for human rights and health equity.

The research team shared modules on human rights, health equity, gender-based violence (GBV) and social determinants of health. More than 30 participants, including healthcare professionals, academics, journalists, and technical experts of human rights participated in the event. The participants suggested integrating modules in the existing curricula for health professionals.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 13^th, 2015.