Sherry directs to make pro-poor health policy

Minister for Information and Broadcasting and Incharge Minister for Health Sherry Rehman on Saturday directed to review the existing health policy and make it pro-poor.”It was shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto’s desire to restructure the health and education system and deliver necessary social services to the people at their doorstep,” she said while chairing a meeting of health ministry officials here on Saturday.She said that pro-poor health policy was essential to ensure health coverage both in rural and urban areas.The Minister stressed on improving the monitoring and evaluation system for ensuring better results and help address the health problems of people.Appreciating the performance of the Lady Health Workers programme, Sherry termed it the most cost effective primary healthcare system. She said it was Benazir who started this community based system which has now become a model for other countries.Sherry Rehman desired to keep a balance in the preventive and curative health services. Commenting on a presentation given to her by Secretary Health Khushnood Akhtar Lashari, the minister said that with growing population, the health planners should be mindful of the increasing trend in non-communicable diseases.