April 19, 2006	Wednesday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 20, 1427

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PESHAWAR, April 18: Experts on Tuesday stressed the need for malaria prevention in the Frontier province. They were speaking at a one-day training workshop on ‘Roll Back Malaria’ at the press club here on Tuesday.

The workshop was arranged jointly by Basic Development Needs (BDN) and Global Fund to Fight against Aids, TB and Malaria (GFATM).

They said that the World Health Organisation had launched a Basic Development Needs initiative in Peshawar’s Frontier Regions in October 2005 to improve diagnostic facilities and training doctors and paramedics besides providing free drugs to patients. They said it was part of a five-point strategy evolved in 1998 and launched in Pakistan in 2001.

The strategy, they said, called for early diagnosis, prevention, epidemic control and coordination among departments concerned and NGOs, adding that it also encouraged operational research to ensure prompt treatment of patients.

“A baseline survey is underway to determine the disease’s magnitude and develope an appropriate response,” Dr Ali said.

Assistant executive district officer, health, of the Peshawar Frontier Regions Dr Bilal Siddiqui said that the basic development needs initiative was aimed at providing basic health facilities to people in areas of health and education and creating public awareness about health problems.

The population of the Peshawar Frontier Regions is 66,000 and the programme was being implemented through village development committees, he said.

Dr Ateequr Rehman, coordinator of the Global Fund, said that they were strengthening diagnostic and treatment facilities at the Civil Hospital in Shamshato, adding that they also planned to provide drug-impregnated mosquito nets at subsidised rates to households with pregnant women or small children.

Dr Said WHO’s medical officer (operations) Akbar Khan said that the programme was under way in seven districts of the country, including Nowshera and Peshawar Frontier Regions. Under the programme, people were also being extended micro-credit facilities and clean drinking water, they said.

Dr Shaukat Ali, advisor to the National Roll Back Malaria (RBM) Control programme said that there were 350 to 500 million new malaria patients were recorded every year.