WHO to develop blood safety systems in Sindh: CM 

KARACHI: The World Health Organization (WHO) Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR) has committed to develop and implement infection prevention, waste management, and blood safety system in the Larkana and Tharparkar districts of the Sindh province.

This decision was made in a follow-up meeting with the WHO delegation led by Regional Director, EMRO, Dr Ahmed Salim Saif Al- Mandhari. The other delegation members included Dr Rana Ahmed Hajjeh El-Kebbi, Director Program Management, EMRO, Dr Palitha Mahipala, Head of Mission to Pakistan, Dr Sara Salman, Head of Office, Sindh, Principal Secretary to CM, Sajjid Jamal Abro, Hafeez Abbasi, Special Secretary Health, and others.

The Chief Minister said that the provincial government was making efforts to control the further spread of HIV/AIDs in Larkana and other districts of the province. “The provincial government needs technical and expert support and advice from the WHO so that the problem can be controlled once and for all,” he said. Concerning the rehabilitation of the affected people, particularly the children and women, he added, “I want they must lead a normal and happy life.”

The WHO delegation head, Dr Mandhari, assured the Chief Minister that the WHO would provide technical support to streamline preventive services and support in the establishment of critical prevention services like infection prevention, injections safety, waste management, and blood safety.

He also committed with the Chief Minister that the WHO experts would develop capacity-building measures for health care providers and health care workforce in treatment protocols, infection prevention, waste management, and blood safety. He added that he would provide technical support to the provincial government for developing proposals for resource mobilization. “The WHO is fully committed to mobilizing more resources and working closely with the health department,” he vowed.

The WHO delegation said that they would provide technical support to the donor conference, which is to be hosted by the Sindh government in September 2019. “We will establish a unit in the Health Department under the special Secretary Health,” said Dr Mandhari. Dr Rana said that he would work with the Health Department to establish an infection prevention and control unit in the Health Department with a regular budget for the sustainability of activities.

In response to Dr Rana, CM, Murad Ali Shah, also extended his full commitment from the Government of Sindh. Dr Palitha said that the WHO would support the Health Department and told the Chief Minister that he would be working with the Health Department in waste management and infection prevention and would establish five demonstration sites in five hospitals of the Larkana district. He said these sites would serve as training units to train the health workforce.

Dr Sara talked about Dr Mandhari’s vision of `Health for All by All’ and said that this HIV outbreak had created an opportunity for all of us to work closely together. She further added that close coordination between the Health Department and district management was necessary. “The WHO will support the establishment of Nutrition Stabilization centers, outreach activities, and SDG compliance in the Islamkot taluka in Tharparkar,” she said.

The Chief Minister thanked the delegation and the WHO for their efforts, technical support, and prompt response concerning the situation in Larkana and Tharparkar.