MULTAN, Feb 7: Provincial health secretary Anwar Ahmad Khan has said the government is focusing more on health than any other sector.

He said this while addressing a certificate distribution and oath-taking ceremony of the community midwife jointly organized by Maternal Newborn Child Health (MNCH) program of the health ministry, provincial health department, the UNICEF, the USAID and PAIMAN at Prof Hayat Muzaffar Auditorium of Nishtar Medical College here on Saturday.

The health secretary said the government was providing maximum funds for the health sector in big cities, but facilities for rural areas were limited.

He said that development partners should come forward to provide maximum healthcare facilities in rural areas as the government alone could not do it.

Mr Khan requested the USAID to contribute in the healthcare although “we realize that this is American tax payers’ money and we assure you of the judicious use of this money”.

He urged the community midwife to serve the people in remote areas by utilizing all their professional skill.

Representative of USAID Ms Susan said that the USAID would upgrade 80 health facilities of 23 selected districts of Pakistan through PAIMAN project. “We will ensure all facilities required to save the life of the mother and the child at these health facilities”, she said.

She said that USAID would train 2,000 community midwifes throughout the country.

PAMAIN chief Dr Nabila Ali said the USAID was developing partnership through PAIMAN with the Punjab government and building the capacity of medical and paramedical staff to improve the quality of service in rural areas.

She said that USAID through PAIMAN project had already provided 19 ambulances and 100 more would be provided to state-run health facilities.

Dr Sabiha Khurshid, Dr Tahir Manzoor, Pakistan Nursing Council registrar Nighat Durrani and Dr Fazal Mehmood also spoke.