World Health Organization (WHO) Representative in Pakistan, Dr. Palitha Gunarathna Mahipala on Thursday said that the excellent services rendered by Khyber Medical University (KMU), Peshawar against Corona outbreak through the establishment of Public Health Reference Lab (PHRL) and now the provision of vaccination services were not only commendable but also a beacon for other medical universities.
He expressed these views during a visit to KMU –PHRL and Mass Vaccination Center, said a press release issued here on Thursday. Vice Chancellor KMU Prof. Dr. Zia ul Haq, PHRL Director Dr. Yasir Yousafzai, Additional Director Dr. Asif Ali, Vaccination Center Focal Person Dr. Khalid Rehman, WHO Peshawar Office Representative Dr. Babar Alam, Chief Executive of Healthcare Commission Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Dr. Maqsood Ali and Dr. Jalil Khan, Head of Department of Family Medicine were also present at the occasion.
Dr. Palitha Mahipala said, “He is very glad to know that KMU-PHRL conducted more than 900,000 tests since the first wave of Corona pandemic and is now conducting more than 4,000 tests on a daily basis”. He said that it was commendable that the WHO protocols were being implemented in the PHRL in accordance with their spirit, which not only made the quality of the test results according to the international standards but the lives and health of the concerned staff have also been protected in all respects through quality bio-safety arrangements.
During the visit of Mass Vaccination Center, Dr. Palitha Mahipala appreciated the separate arrangements for women, men and persons with disabilities and said that in order to motivate the people for vaccination a comprehensive awareness campaign on large scale can convince people for their vaccination. There was also a need to encourage people to get vaccinated on a large scale by providing them pick & drop, setting up more booths and providing mobile vaccination facilities.
He said that in the wake of the Corona pandemic, the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the government are fortunate to have for the first time a Public Health Expert as Vice Chancellor in the province’s sole medical university. He said that in developing countries like Pakistan, clinical sciences have made a lot of progress but the public health sector has been neglected due to which considerable attention is being paid to it which is satisfactory. Dr. Palitha Mahipala added that where the success of a large-scale vaccination campaign is essential to deal with the Corona pandemic, people should also follow safety measures while implementing SOPs advised by the WHO. He also promised to provide some essential items for the Vaccination Center in addition to the modern sequencing machine in PHRL.
Earlier, the vice chancellor Prof. Dr. Zia ul Haq gave a detailed briefing on PHRL and Corona Vaccination Center and assured WHO country representative all possible cooperation from KMU in tackling other public health issues including Corona pandemic. In the end Dr. Palitha Mahipala donated some essential items for KMU-PHRL while he also planted sapling in connection with the tree planting campaign in KMU.
