Minister Inaugurates Genome Sequencing Facility, Daycare Centre At KMU

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Minister for Health, Taimur Slaim Jhagra Friday inaugurated Genome Sequencing Facility in Public Health Reference Laboratory (PHRL) and Daycare and Breastfeeding Centre in Khyber Medical University (KMU).

PESHAWAR, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 24th Sep, 2021 ) :Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Minister for Health, Taimur Slaim Jhagra Friday inaugurated Genome Sequencing Facility in Public Health Reference Laboratory (PHRL) and Daycare and Breastfeeding Centre in Khyber Medical University (KMU).

The ceremony among others was attended by Vice Chancellor KMU, Dr. Zia-ul- Haq, Special Secretary Health, Dr. Farooq Jamil, Registrar KMU, Dr. Muhammad Salim and concerned officials.

Addressing the ceremony, health minister said that PHRL was conducting 4000 corona tests daily that was remarkable achievement. He said that about 800,000 corona detection tests were being conducted in the laboratory during last eighteen months.

He said that PHRL has become the second lab of the public sector where facility of genome testing would be available that would help timely detection of existing and new variant of corona besides detecting other infectious and communicable diseases adding it would explore new openings of diagnosing and disease treatment.

Jhagra informed that health budget has been increased from Rs. 86 billion to Rs. 146 billion during last three years while extensive corona vaccination by government has decreased mortality rate significantly.

He said that 75 percent population of Chitral has been vaccinated against corona while 50 percent population of ten districts has been given first dose of vaccine and added that government desires to further speed up vaccination process.

He also termed establishment of Breastfeeding and Daycare centre in KMU a milestone achievement directing teaching and district headquarters hospitals to setup same facility of women staff.

The minister said that present government is providing various scholarships and financial assistance to talented and needy students through other schemes including Ehsas programme.

He informed that under Ehsas Scholarship Scheme, scholarships worth about Rs. 68 million were being distributed among 500 students in the recent batch which includes tuition fees and hostel expenses.

Earlier, the Health Minister also planted saplings at the university while Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Zia-ul-Haq gave a detailed briefing on the performance of the university.

The health minister assured possible help and directed Special Secretary Health to hold a meeting with the KMU officials at the earliest and resolve their issues.