ISLAMABAD, Jan 5: Regional Training Institute of Population Welfare will be made a research centre for the health experts that will provide a forum to the experts to prepare and train health officials in family planning.

This was stated by Islamabad Chief Commissioner Tariq Mahmood Pirzada during a visit of the Regional Training Institute of Islamabad Population Welfare. It was his first visit to the institute after its devolution to the ICT Administration.

He said that family planning programmes are required to be made more effective and result-oriented in the wake of rapid increase in the population and creating better opportunities for the population.

The chief commissioner said that there was a greater need to make family planning programme more effective in the wake of rapid increase in the rate of population which has put a tremendous burden on the resources of the country.

He said that population welfare will also seek the guidance of religious leaders in this matter and all available resources will be used to mobilise the community for family planning in a more effective manner.

Earlier, Deputy Principal, Training Institute, Dr Irum Javed briefed the Chief Commissioner about the functions and achievements of the institute and said that the institute was providing information about maternal and infant health care.

It was also informed that institute had imparted training to 1130 heath officials related to the family planning during 2009-2010.—APP