TAXILA: Free screening camps for a variety of illnesses, including diabetes, hepatitis, gynecological complications and asthma have been set up as part of health week in various government health centers in Taxila and across the Attock district where free diagnostic services are being offered.

In Attock, the week was formally inaugurated by Additional Deputy Commissioner General Anil Saeed at the Government Asfandyar Bukhari District Hospital.

The ceremony was attended by chief executive district health authority Dr Asad Ismael, Medical Superintendent Dr Jawad Elahi, paramedical staff and other relevant officials.

Addressing on the occasion, Additional Deputy Commissioner General Anil Saeed said specialised counters had been set up At District Headquarters Hospital Attock, which will target 1,000 individuals.

He said that screening camps have been set up in the tehsil and district headquarters hospitals and rural centres, basic health centers across the district. Chief executive district health authority Dr Asad Ismael while talking to newsmen said that citizens should visit screening camps for diabetes, tuberculosis, pulmonary health and hematology screening while pregnant women undergo checkups.He asked parest to bring their children under two years of age to the camps for vaccination under EPI.

Responding to a question, he said that citizens will be formally registered at the screening camps during the Health Week. “These camps will provide all necessary medical treatment facilities, including free medicines,” he said.

In Hazro, the camp was inaugurated by member district monitoring committee and former provincial Minister Jahangir Khanzada.

During the visit, he reviewed the patient’s examination process at various counters set up for screening.

During the visit to camp, he directed the health department to take special steps to create massive awareness about ‘Health Week’ so that maximum citizens could benefit from these facilities. “For the first time in the history of Punjab, free insulin will be delivered to the homes of children suffering from diabetes,” he said.

In Hassanabdal, the camp organised in connection with health week was inaugurated by former member Punjab assembly Sardar Iftikhar Ahmed Khan who appreciated the arrangements of the hospital for the Health Week.

Assistant commissioner Arif Qureshi while speaking on this occasion said that after screening patients during the week, analysis of their data will help in providing better treatment.

He said that the entire screening process will be fully monitored.

In Taxila, the camp was inaugurated by former Punjab assembly member Umer Farooq at Wah General Hospital.

Speaking on the occasion, he said that the Punjab government had initiated the project to revamp 98 BHUs and RHCs across the Rawalpindi districtand equip them with all necessary electro-medical equipment is already in process. In the first phase, the revamping of 23 BHUs and seven RHCs and installation of essential electro-medical equipment will be completed by December. In the second phase, 30 more BHUs and RHCs will be revamped, after which, another 38 BHUs and RHCs will be renovated in the third phase.

Published in Dawn, November 22th, 2024