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PESHAWAR, Feb 4: NWFP Health Minister Inayatullah, while terming shortage of trained personnel in health management as root cause of unsatisfactory delivery of health services, has ordered preparation of a comprehensive plan to overcome the deficiency.
He was speaking at the inaugural ceremony of fourth Master in Public Health programme at the Provincial Health Services Academy (PHSA) here on Saturday.
The minister said that there was no dearth of competent surgeons in the country but qualified health managers were not available.
“Production of well-trained professionals in management sector is must to improve health delivery system”, he added.
Appreciating contribution of the PHSA in development of human resources, he said that the institution had potential and possibilities of extension to meet future requirements of the health sector.
He ordered constitution of a committee — comprising experts at the PHSA, Health Sector Reforms Unit and Women Health Project — to prepare an elaborate plan for strengthening the PHSA and seeking financial resources to materialize the project.
The minister asked the academy to arrange advance courses for paramedics and nurses to build their capacity.
He stressed the need of linking the PHSA with other health training institutions of the country and abroad to make it more beneficial.
Earlier, Dr Mahmood Alam, Rector of the PHSA, while highlighting training and academic services of the academy, said that the institution was arranging various courses to produce quality health personnel and overcome human resource problem in the health sector.
He said that a memorandum of understanding had been signed between the PHSA and the University of Peshawar for affiliation of the academy with the latter.
The rector said that steps were being taken to convert the academy into a full-fledged public health university.
Others who spoke on the occasion included PHSA Director Dr Salim Javed Gandapur, Dr Mahmood Alam and Dr Khursheed.
CANAL DESILTATION: NWFP Minister for Irrigation and Power Hafiz Akhtar Ali has said that all out efforts will be made to achieve objectives of the canal desiltation campaign 2006.
During a surprise visit to Kohati, Sarki, Afghan Colony, Gulbahar, Bashirabad and police lines canals in Peshawar on Saturday, the minister directed the staff concerned and contractors to speed up the desiltation campaign and repair work in order to make it a success.
He urged the people to cooperate with the staff working in their respective areas during the desiltation process and cleaning work. He appealed to Ulema to urge people to refrain from throwing polythene bags, shoppers and garbage in canals.
The minister asked the staff concerned to keep a liaison with the respective local governments and MPAs regarding the campaign.
Earlier, he presided over a high-level meeting in his office with Wapda and irrigation department officials in order to work out feasibilities for construction of new dams in the NWFP.
He also directed Wapda officials to chalk out a plan for electrification of far-flung areas and villages.
AFGHAN TRADE: The member of the Pakistan Railways advisory committee and chairman of the standing committee of the Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry on dry port, Ziaul Haq Sarhadi has hailed the increase in number of boogies for transportation of goods imported under the Afghan Transit Trade Agreement.
According to a press release on Saturday, Mr Sarhadi said that due to paucity of boogies, Afghan traders were facing problems in transporting goods from Karachi to Peshawar for there onward journey to Afghanistan.
Due to the reason, he said, Afghan importers were shifting their business to Bander Abbas (Iran) sea port.—APP
