KARACHI, Jan 29: Federal Health Secretary Syed Anwar Mehmood has agreed to the absolute relevance of Standard Operational Procedures (SOP) as an integral part of disaster management plans, scheduled to be adopted from hospital to cabinet levels in the country.

He was speaking at the seminar “Natural disaster management: preparedness for future” held here on Sunday as part of the second annual symposium of the National Institute of Child Health.

Mr Mehmood said that following one of the most unfortunate experiences in October last the government was in fast process to develop a master plan on disaster management.

He said that the master plan in question would encompass rescue, relief and rehabilitation aspects which demanded independent infrastructure.

Referring to the measures adopted to prevent outbreak of epidemic and diseases as the aftermath of the Oct 8 quake, the federal health secretary said that it was due to the immediate mobilization of the spray teams and also the immediate launch of immunization campaigns in the quake-hit areas of the AJK and the NWFP.

We but faced another unforeseen situation and that was a large number of amputations and paraplegic, Mr Mehmood said adding that the rehabilitation process has been adopted with 100-bed rehabilitation centres being established each in Islamabad, Mansehra and Muzaffarabad for victims struck with paraplegia.

As for amputation, he said five hospitals in Peshawar, Islamabad, Mansehra, Muzaffarabad and one more in the NWFP had been provided with necessary facilities.

Mr Mehmood further added that the federal government was planning to establish a medical varsity named after the Father of the Nation “Mohammad Ali Jinnah” in Karachi comprising its existent facilities; JPMC, NICVD and NICH respectively.

He said that the scheme was being reviewed and would soon be forwarded to other relevant departments and the cabinet.

NICH Director Prof Afroze Ramzan in her presentation said the nation had learnt its lesson as it was mainly due to the lack of knowledge about how to protect oneself against natural calamities.

Focussing on her topic “Children in the wake of natural disaster”, she strongly recommended that curriculum for class five to class twelve must include topics helping students to get prepared to protect themselves against disasters.

This should be equally applicable for students attending madressahs, she said adding that as for those not attending schools or madressahs the healthcare worker should be involved to sensitize them and their parents about simple measures to protect and avoid casualties.

She also suggested the formation of a civil planning ministry in the country and provinces.

Prof Mussarat Hussain talking of psycho issues and life quality of survivors stressed the need to help them overcome the dependency phenomenon and inculcate in them a spirit to return to normal life with all human dignity.

Col Saleemur Rehman, Nusrat Nasab also spoke on the occasion.

The chief guest later gave mementos to Prof Iftikhar Jan, Prof Yasmeen Kazi, Dr Sohail Akhter, Dr Khalid Mehmood and other members of different organizing committees of the symposium.—APP