WHO hands over 15 ambulances to Frontier govt

PESHAWAR: The World Health Organisation (WHO) has donated 15 fully-equipped ambulances to the provincial government for 11 conflict-affected districts in the province.

Visiting WHO Regional Director Dr Hussain A. Gezairy handed over keys of these vehicles to the Secretary Health Dr Syed Sohail Altaf in a ceremony here on Wednesday.

Speaking on the occasion, WHO Regional Director said the ambulances play vital role in delivery of better health services.

He expressed the hope that more lives will be saved with the provision of these ambulances.

Dr Gezairy said that Pakistan is facing three main challenges, immunisation and polio eradication is one. "We cannot speak of one without talking of the other. We were at the verge of polio eradication but it did not happen because of the low routine immunisation. We have the vaccine, the vaccinators and the required infrastructure and still we are not immunising all children."

He added "The second challenge is the high maternal mortality. About 11,000 mothers are dying every year in Pakistan which is too high. If a mother dies, it is a family tragedy."

The regional director said the third challenge facing the country is the provision of safe drinking water which can prevent the onslaught of hepatitis A and E.

Similarly, provision of auto-destruct syringes can save 85% of the infections of Hepatitis C, he added.

Earlier, Director General Health Dr Rashid Jooma appreciated the support provided by WHO in health disaster management in the province in particular and other parts of the country in general.

"We really count on WHO whenever we face any health disaster and WHO is always there to help us," he commented.

The secretary health thanked on behalf of the provincial government for its timely assistance in tackling the health emergency situation in the province.

These ambulances, having all necessary emergency equipment will fill in the gap of emergency referral service in conflict-affected districts included DI Khan, Tank, Peshawar, Buner, Mardan, Charsadda, Swabi, Swat districts and Malakand, Lower Dir, Bajaur and Mohmand agencies.  

It merits a mention here that WHO had already given seven ambulances last month. - APP