Seminar held to discuss healthcare during flood emergency

ISLAMABAD: The Health Services Academy (HSA) in collaboration with Islamabad Policy Research Institute (IPRI) held a seminar to discuss the existing healthcare emergency in the country due to floods, a statement said.

The seminar on the topical issue of “Healthcare Interventions during Flood Emergency in Pakistan,” was held under the series of Grand National Dialogue (GND).

Apart from HSA, the Health Population Think Tank (HPTT) and Ministry of National Health Services were other stakeholders, and dilated at length over the healthcare exigency in the country in the wake of monsoon floods and its ensuing destruction.

They urged upon the need for proper synchronisation of material and human resources to address this calamity.

HSA Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Shahzad Ali Khan; IPRI Director Research Brigadier Raashid Wali Janjua (Retd); Balochistan Health Ministry, Emergency Cell Head Dr Yusuf; HPTT MoNHSRC Health Services Academy, Islamabad Technical Lead Dr Ahmed Hussen Tareq and RIC Director Prof Dr Mubashir Hanif highlighted the situation faced in the case of floods.

The IPRI president underscored that proper and de facto research is indispensable to create a proper policy so that every year the nation and the country is not on the receiving end owing to natural disasters.

He said that the IPRI’s intention is to further research in this discipline so that health services and its utility is properly acknowledged, and subsequently lead to appropriate policy formulation.

During the seminar, it was noted that Balochistan and Sindh situation is alarming, and there are fears of outbreak of diseases such as malaria, diarrhea, dengue and other reptile-bite related infections.

The challenges that are faced by authorities are in the form of providing food and shelter, proper nutrition to children and taking care of pregnant women, who are in thousands in both the provinces.

It was also noted that the statistics that are compiled are far lesser in number than the real situation on ground, and it needs rehabilitation and access on a war-footing basis.

The interactive session was lively in essence as health practitioners called in question the criterion of deputing health staff and the absence of adequate facilities.

It was observed that floods’ apathy is leading to mental stress and trauma, and thus rehabilitation in real time is indispensable.

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