Abdul Malik Baloch, the chief minister of Balochistan, vows to eradicate polio.
QUETTA — Chief Minister of Balochistan Abdul Malik Baloch has said along with the eradication of polio and other diseases in children, the provincial government will provide best healthcare facilities to prevent and treat people with Hepatitis, Malaria, HIV/AIDS and other diseases.
“We need to make more effective health programs starting with the support of donor agencies and the provincial government would play its due role in this connection,” he said this while addressing a briefing to review the pace of different programs running with the support of donor agencies in the health sector of the province.
The Chief Minister said that government was decentralizing powers in the health department so it could run more effectively, adding that the better recommendations of the health department were being approved. “Now the health department must come up with better results,” he stressed.
Provincial Minister for Information Abdul Rahim Ziaratwal, Health Secretary Noorul Haq Baloch, Finance Secretary Mushtaq Raisani, and other concerned health authorities were present on the occasion.
The Health Secretary briefed the Chief Minister about the Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI), HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, Malaria, Hepatitis and other ongoing programs in the health sector.
The Chief Minister asked the Health Secretary to formulate a comprehensive plan to present it before the cabinet for approval. “Decentralization of power would help improve the performance of departments and eliminate the tendency of absenteeism, therefore it has been decided that the powers of transfers and action against absent doctors and paramedical staff would be delegated to Divisional Directors and Divisional Health Officers,” he said.
Malik Baloch said that creating the best healthcare facilities was the greatest priority and through the implementation of reforms it could be achieved.
The Chief Minister said that stern action should be taken against those doctors and paramedical staff who had been transferred but did not report on their duties. He also directed for the closure of salaries of doctors and other medical staff immediately who remain absent from their responsibilities.
The Minister added that vacant posts in the health department should be fulfilled at the earliest possible time and that local people should be given preference in lower posts, adding appointment of competent and capable people should be ensured in technical and other posts.
He also called for taking serious and practical steps for Hepatitis prevention in all districts and declared Hepatitis tests compulsory for government employees.
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Mir Behram Baloch is a journalist covering government and social issues in Balochistan. Read other articles by Mir.
