LAHORE: All beauty parlours in the province will be registered and given the status of an industry while women working there will be imparted training to prevent spread of diseases like Hepatitis B and C, HIV, AIDS and Thalassaemia.

“Infected instruments and needles used for piercing of nose and ears are also a big source for spreading blood-borne diseases,” said Minister for Primary and Secondary Healthcare Khwaja Imran Nazir at the inaugural ceremony of Women Festival of 2017 at a local hotel on Tuesday.

He said that women attached with beauty parlours were like industrial workers, who not only support their families but also contribute to the economy.

This profession would be regularised and developed as an industry and the government would provide all-out support for the promotion of beauty parlours and fashion industry. Guidance for prevention of diseases would also be provided. The minister said that presently approximately 25 million people had been affected by Hepatitis B and C in Pakistan which was very alarming.

The Punjab Hepatitis Control Programme (PHCP) also set up a stall for hepatitis screening and vaccination for Hepatitis B. PHCP Director Dr Zahida Sarwar informed the minister that more than 4,000 people would be screened and vaccinated on this stall.

Published in Dawn, May 10th, 2017