ISLAMABAD:
Pakistan was presented on Saturday
as a model to countries attending the World Health Assembly as it became the
first nation to conduct joint external evaluation of core capacities to respond
to disease outbreaks and the level of preparedness to deal with pandemics.
The recognition came at a special session on
International Health Regulations at the World Health Assembly in Geneva.
Delegates of 59 countries attended the session which was chaired by Finland and
Australia.
Federal Minister for National Health
Services Saira Afzal Tarar told the delegations that Pakistan was ready to
share its experiences with any country desirous of strengthening their core
capacities as part of the global health security agenda.
The minister, who is leading the Pakistani
delegation, added, “Transparency has been the hallmark of health reforms in the
country which has been recognised at this prestigious global forum.”
Pakistan had initiated the exercise in early
2016 across the country with a team of international public health experts and
completed it late last year. Eight different core capacities were evaluated in
the year long process. Pakistan’ Director General Health Dr Assad Hafeez
presented the process to the delegates.
Meanwhile, Tarar told the WHO’s health
minister for the Eastern Mediterranean region, that unprecedented progress has
been made in stopping transmission of the polio virus, with the lowest ever
case count of 20 on 2016 and two so far this year.
She said Pakistan was carrying out the
surveillance for polio aggressively and has established 53 environmental
sampling sites which is the largest surveillance network in the world.
The minister, while expressing her resolve,
said, “Our Prime Minister is leading the effort and there is the strongest of
political commitment to the cause. These are our children and we will leave no
stone unturned to protect them from this crippling disease”.
The minister also spoke about the
sustainable development goals and progress made by Pakistan in developing the 5
year coasted National Action Plan as part of Global Health Security Agenda and
International Health Regulations.
Pakistan’s track record of dealing
effectively with manmade and natural disasters was also shared by the minister.
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