KARACHI: Sindh Health Minister Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho has indicated that the Extensively Drug Resistant (XDR) Typhoid Vaccination Campaign can be extended to bring forth positive results.

She was speaking to media on Monday at the inaugural ceremony of Dow Institute of Health Professionals Education and Day Care Centre and opening of the fifth floor of the Administration Block at Dow University of Health Sciences (DUHS).

As part of the typhoid campaign, vaccination was being made easily available to everyone, including students at their schools premises. The campaign will be ending in five days from now.

Commenting on the formation of the Pakistan Medical Commission (PMC), she said it was a non-democratic move as democracy respected opinion of everyone. The commission consists of members from Punjab only and the representation from other provinces of Pakistan is little to none.

Earlier, addressing the event, Dr Pechuho said that Dow University had achieved a milestone in medical education by establishing an online education system.

Through this fresh students would be given online lectures and provided other facilities while it would also be possible to spread medical awareness regarding different diseases in the undeveloped and underdeveloped areas of the province through the online system of education.

There was a time when there was no medical information and expertise in the medical staff of those areas due to which a large number of patients was referred to Karachi.

She congratulated DUHS Vice Chancellor Prof Saeed Quraishy for bringing about a significant change in the medical and healthcare sector.

Prof Quraishy said the aim of the university was to become a modern and dynamic institution. The establishment of a new professional education institute and other departments was one of its greatest milestones, he said, adding: “Our mission is to make Dow University one of the best universities of Pakistan”.

Dow Medical College Principal Prof Amjad Siraj Memon said: “Our target is to enter the list of top 10 medical universities of the region till 2030.”

Later, answering questions of reporters, Dr Azra Pechuho said she could not comment on the health of former president [and her brother] Asif Ali Zardari.

In reply to a question, she said Prime Minister Imran Khan wanted to run democracy through nepotism instead of proper nominations and elections. “Our main issue over the formation of the PMC is that the students of our province are left in confusion,” she added.

“If our private medical universities and colleges would be permitted to admit candidates independently, the students from other provinces would gain education from here and serve their respective areas and provinces,” she said. Sindh was already short of doctors and the new plan would increase the shortage in the province, she added.

Answering a question, she said poliovirus was not only present in the sewerage water of Sindh, but it was all over Pakistan.

Published in Dawn, November 26th, 2019