ISLAMABAD, Aug 30: Health Minister Mohammad Nasir Khan on Saturday said computer-based information technology must be applied for planning of health programmes in the country.

He was speaking at the concluding ceremony of “Training Courses for Health Communication Planning Through Computer-based Module CDcynergy” held here.

The health minister asked the participants to also educate their colleagues on how to use the computer to plan and evaluate the health programmes. These plans for the health programmes, he said, must be evidence-based, cost-effective and efficiently implemented. The motto should be implementation, implementation and implementation, the minister repeated and emphasized that there was no use of plans, no matter how finely prepared, if these were not implemented.

“We must be sincere with ourselves and the country. We must work with dedication and commitment to implement the health programmes in an efficient and well-managed manner so that the masses get benefited,” the minister observed.

Director General Health Mohammad Aslam while giving details of the training course said CDcynergy module was a planning tool that will help the participants to prepare communication plans with the help of computer.

“This module will guide in identification and analysis of health problems. It will also assist in developing communication strategy to change behaviour and evaluate their impact.”

Dr Mohammad Assai Ardkani, while speaking on behalf of Dr Khalif Bile Mohammud, WHO representative to Pakistan, said there was urgent need to educate health manpower on use of computer- based planning not only for communication programmes but also for all other health services.