QUETTA: Balochistan Chief Minister Dr Abdul Malik Baloch says that his government has taken the eradication of polio and other diseases in children from the province as a challenge.

The chief minister was speaking at a briefing held here on Tuesday to review the progress of different health projects the provincial government is running with the support of donor agencies.

“We need to make more effective health programmes,” he said, and hoped that coordination between government departments and donor agencies would produce positive results.

Secretary of Health Noorul Haq Baloch briefed the chief minister on the Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI) and ongoing programmes on HIV-Aids, TB, Malaria and Hepatitis.

He said the provincial government was committed to provide best quality health facilities to masses, even in far-flung areas of the province and that it was taking special measures for the treatment of Hepatitis, Malaria and HIV-Aids patients.

He said the government had decided to decentralise powers in the health department so that it could work effectively. He said the government had approved all useful recommendations of the health department and hoped it would now be able to produce good results.

Malik Baloch directed the secretary of health to prepare a comprehensive plan to boost up the performance of health department. “Decentralisation of powers would help improve performance of departments and eliminate the tendency of absenteeism. It has been decided that powers of transfers and action against absent doctors and paramedical staff would be delegated to divisional directors and divisional health officers,” he said.

Taking serious notice of absenteeism in hospitals and government departments, the chief minister said stern action would be taken against those who were not performing their duty honestly.

He issued directives for stopping the issuance of salary to doctors and paramedics who were not performing their duty honestly.

He said vacant posts in the health department should be fulfilled at the earliest and local people should be given preference on lower posts. Appointment of competent and capable people should be ensured in technical and other important posts, he added.

The chief minister issued directives for declaring Hepatitis test compulsory for all government employees. He called for the establishment of a molecular lab in Balochistan.

The chief minister was informed that equipment for the treatment of TB had been installed in the Fatima Jinnah TB Sanatorium, but they could not function because the required voltage of electricity was not available. He directed the secretary of health to take up the issue with Qesco authorities.

Malik Baloch directed all provincial departments to launch their websites so that people could access to necessary information.

Those who attended the briefing included Provincial Minister for Information Abdul Rahim Ziaratwal, Secretary of Finance Mushtaq Raisani, the director general of health services, coordinators of different programmes and other officials concerned.

Published in Dawn, December 31st, 2014