PESHAWAR, Oct 24: Provincial Minister for Health Inayatullah Khan has said that women’s health was one of the priority areas of the government, adding that final touches were being given to a national policy on maternal and child health.

He was speaking as chief guest at a preparatory meeting for the forthcoming international scientific conference of the Society of Obstetrician and Gynaecologists.

Referring to the poor status of women’s health, the minister said that ignorance, economic deprivation and lack of facilities were its main reasons.

He said that provincial government had announced additional incentives for female staff working in backward areas of the province to improve status of women health.

“Details of the package were being worked out while a summary had already been moved to the chief minister in this regard”, he informed. The minister said that initiatives taken for the improvement of women health in the past were also being integrated.

Referring to initiatives being taken by donors to boost mother and child health infrastructure, the health minister disclosed that USAID was planning to start activities for improvement of maternal and child health facilities in Mansehra and Battagram districts. Welcoming the forthcoming international gynaecologists conference, the minister said that Peshawar was a right place for it as the NWFP had suffered more than other parts of the country.

Assuring government’s cooperation for making the event a success, the minister directed concerned authorities to help with the organizers of the conference in this regard.

Giving details, Prof Bilqis Afridi, said that the 11th Biennial Scientific International Conference of the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Pakistan will be held from 17 to 19 of the next month which would be participated by renowned medical experts from the country and abroad.

“It will be a large gathering as 90 delegates from UK, Germany, Egypt, India, Sri Lanka and Mauritius have confirmed their participation”, she maintained.

“Scientific sessions will be exciting as more than Hundred papers had already been received for presentation which were being scrutinized”, the gynaecologist remarked. She disclosed that there will be a public awareness session also at the conclusion of the conference.—PPI