Nasir for comprehensive national Anaesthesiology, Cardiology programme
By Ali Imran

ISLAMABAD—Federal Minister for Health Mohammad Nasir Khan has asked the health authorities to formulate a comprehensive National Anaesthesiology and Cardiology programme so as to provide better healthcare facilities to ailing community.
Responding to suggestions by the key speakers on the three-day 9th International Conference of Anaestesiology, Pain and Intensive Care Conference at Bhurban, the minister said government is utilizing all its resources to provide better health care facilities especially to poor sections of society. The minister said the annual budget for provision of better healthcare to whole of population amounting to about 11.8 billion bears a witness to government’s commitment.
This budget for different health related programmes did not include two other programmes being initiated in the country, he informed.
While a major chunk of budget is also allocated for the four provinces to make an effective strategy to execute these programmes, the minister said.
Referring to importance of anaesthesiology in modern day treatment, the minister said, this way of treatment has assumed greater importance in the face of complex diseases.
The minister urged the health expert for an efficient skeleton healthcare infrastructure to meet these challenges and assured them that government will undertake all the programmes as suggested by them.
However, he said, preventive strategy is the time tested strategy which must be continued.
The minister noted that health and education are the two key sectors for development as both can guarantee healthy minds and bodies. “Peace is key to attaining highest standard of life as both are interlinked,” the minister said while enumerating various basis for ideal health environment.
He said, it is a great pity that war and modern day conflicts are incurring huge losses to healthcare facilities.
“Over 35 billion healthcare facilities are completely destroyed in Middle East,” the minister said and added, “how would you rehabilitate such a colossal loss.” Nasir also expressed his concern over the deaths of children in various conflicts flaming the world and asked the world community to ponder over the sorry state of affairs.
He said, people related to healthcare profession in Pakistan are competent having a profound knowledge and they can be ranked with the best of health professionals of the world.
“The government wants to give them an extra air of confidence,” the minister added.
The minister also stretched at strength the research and works done by the Muslims in the realms of health and medicines.
He stressed the need for similar research and said government would be encouraged to witness such strides to tackle the completely changed scope in the medical field. The minister also lauded the services rendered by the medical professionals from the country and outside especially during the October 8 earthquake.
He praised Armed Forces Institute of Cardiology for serving the purposes of bringing latest techniques of treatment.
The minister said, DG health Brigadier General (retd) Rashida Malik has also done marvelous services for bringing together all the stakeholders of health sectors and executing innovative steps for the improvement of healthcare programmes in the country.