KARACHI, Jan 16: Sindh health minister Ahsan Ahmad on Wednesday urged all multinational and indigenous pharmaceutical companies working in Pakistan to earmark out of their windfall profit some of the amount to alleviate miseries afflicting the of health sector.

Speaking at the inauguration of a consultant clinic for gynaecological related problems in Laiqabad (Landhi), the minister reminded that the government always accorded foremost and special care in its health policy to infant and maternal care.

“The Sindh health department, like its federal counterpart, had laid special attention on this aspect as it launched women health projects to facilitate the needy and deserving women,” he said.

However, he emphasised that the rising level of maternal and infant mortality in far-flung areas of the province could be arrested effectively unless the private sector contributes significantly by extending a helping hand to the government.

Lauding the endeavours and selfless approach of the Trust for Health and Medical Sciences and other private institutions and companies in the health sector, he called upon other pharmaceutical companies to tread the same line of action.

Chief Executive of Glaxo-Smith Kline Pakistan and trustee Suleman Burni said that the centre was established in 1983 and so far some 17,56000 patients were treated free of cost at the place.

Highlighting the accomplishments of the centre since it was set up, the MS of the centre, Aslam Saeed Khan, said that the trust had implemented many basic health programmes for the welfare of masses, including Hepatitis-B, Extended Programme for Immunisation (EPI) Thalassaemia, diabetic mothers, anti-narcotics programme and intensive-care for infants.

Some 71,099 patients were provided relief at OPD last year while 2,571 laboratory tests were also conducted and 10,936 were vaccinated.

Later, the minister formally inaugurated the centre.—PPI