PESHAWAR, April 27: NWFP Governor Iftikhar Hussain Shah has stressed the need for strengthening disaster management and mass emergency services in collaboration with the Pakistan Red Crescent Society (PRCS).

He was speaking during a meeting with Pakistan Red Crescent Society President Jehandad Khan and PRCS NWFP chapter chief Dr Tariq Nishtar here on Tuesday.

The meeting decided to reactivate the NWFP and Fata branches of the PRCS and establish quick response units at the provincial level with all the supporting staff, equipments as well as life saving drugs to ensure disaster management and provision of emergency services.

It also decided to reactivate the district branches of the Society and strengthen the disaster management system there. To create awareness amongst the masses about the charitable and welfare activities of the society, public melas would be arranged at district levels.

A two-member committee, comprising Fata director health Dr Ihsanullah and Mohammad Ilyas of the PRCS, was set up to work out the modalities and feasibility of cooperation and coordination and identify the areas where the services of the PRCS could be better utilised.

However, the meeting was unanimous on the point that rugged and far-flung areas in Fata would be given top priority. On the occasion, the governor said under a phased programme projects would be launched to strengthen the agency and tehsil headquarters' hospitals by providing all the required medical staff and state-of-the-art equipment.