ISLAMABAD (APP) - Federal Minister for National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination Syed Mustafa Kamal emphasised that coordinated, effective and immediate measures were essential for the prevention and control of HIV in Pakistan.
According to the Ministry of National Health Services on Monday, the minister made these remarks while chairing a high-level meeting on HIV prevention.
The meeting was attended by the Federal Secretary Health, Additional Secretary Health, Chief Executive Officer of the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP), Vice Chancellor of the Health Services Academy, and representatives of other relevant institutions and key stakeholders.
The meeting conducted a detailed review of progress on ongoing HIV prevention measures across the country and also examined recommendations put forward by the Prime Minister’s HIV Task Force.
During the meeting, Mustafa Kamal assigned specific responsibilities to all relevant institutions and directed them to strengthen coordination in implementing measures to combat HIV.
“All relevant institutions should take coordinated steps to ensure the implementation of the recommendations of the HIV Task Force,” the minister said.
The meeting was informed that the National Institute of Health (NIH), CDC and the Central Monitoring Unit (CMU) had activated an HIV dashboard to facilitate timely reporting and monitoring of HIV-related data.
The minister said that the dashboard would help make the decision-making process more effective and responsive, enabling authorities to take timely action.
Reaffirming the government’s commitment to public health, Mustafa Kamal said all possible measures are being taken to prevent the spread of HIV and strengthen the national response to the disease.