ISLAMABAD, March 18: The parliamentary secretary for health Mrs Raheela Yahya informed the National Assembly on Friday that to control the hepatitis, a project of Rs2.5 billion was on the cards. Replying to questions in the house, she said the health ministry in consultation with all stakeholders had developed a national strategy on the prevention and control of hepatitis, including water and food-borne hepatitis. Raheela Yahya informed the house that the government was vigorously implementing a programme for the elimination of polio disease. She said during the current financial year about Rs1.5 million had been spent for the provision of oral vaccine to the children up to age of five years in the Islamabad Capital territory. She said the National Institute of Health was properly functioning in Islamabad to conduct research and training in community medicine and health services development.

To another question, she said the senior doctors are available in the government hospitals

in Islamabad to examine

the patients during the OPD hours.

Parliamentary Secretary

for Population Welfare Dr.

Donya Aziz told the House

that the government is implementing the population policy to control the population growth rate.

It include to reduce population growth rate from one point nine percent per annum to one point three percent per annum by year 2020.

She said to implement the

policy, government has allocated six hundred and sixteen

million rupees at federal

level and one point nine

billion rupees at provincial

levels during the current financial year.

Parliamentary Secretary for Special Education and Social Welfare Mrs Riffat Amjad informed the house that through Individual Financial Assistance Programme, 107 poor, widows and destitute women had been provided assistance of Rs3.3 million for health and education during the current financial year.—PPI