LAHORE – Top American diplomat in Punjab has reiterated the US government’s support for further strengthening Pakistan’s health sector.
“The United States Government recognises that investment in the Pakistani people and strengthening the capacity of the Government of Pakistan to deliver essential services are two vital components for improving health outcomes and ultimately saving lives,” remarked Elizabeth Kennedy Trudeau, the US Consul General in Lahore, at a ceremony Tuesday which marked the hand-over of the first ever province-specific Public Health Supply Chain Strategy to the Punjab Departments of Health and Population Welfare.
“I am hopeful that our collaboration will lead to improved maternal, newborn, child and adolescent healthcare in Punjab province,” she added.
Tuesday’s event also celebrated the launch of the updated Essential Medicine List and a new course on Public Health Supply Chain by the University of Health Sciences. The USAID’s Global Health Supply Chain – Procurement and Supply Management (GHSC-PSM) project provided support for these initiatives.
Adviser to Chief Minister Khawaja Ahmad Hassan, Services Institute of Medical Sciences Principal Prof Dr Mahmood Ayyaz, and University of Health Sciences Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Faisal Masud was also present at the event.
The Supply Chain Strategy, finalised with assistance from the USAID-funded GHSC-PSM Project, will serve as a roadmap to bridge the gaps in the current health supply chain. Supported by the USAID project, the Punjab government has revised the Essential Medicine List in line with the World Health Organization’s 2017 standards.
The new three-credit public health supply chain course of UHS will create a local cadre of public health supply chain experts. The initiative will go a long way towards expanding the supply chain management capacity within Punjab’s public-sector, introducing opportunities for youth to adopt a new academic discipline.
