LAHORE: Punjab Health Ministers Khawaja Salman Rafique and Khawaja Imran Nazir have inaugurated the ‘Early Disease Warning Centre’ at the Institute of Public Health (IPH) on Thursday, a major advancement in Punjab’s public health infrastructure.
During the ceremony, Khawaja Salman highlighted the importance of the new center, noting it will act as a pivotal hub for monitoring and managing disease outbreaks. He revealed that a specialized dashboard for tracking monkeypox and other diseases is currently being developed at the center. Furthermore, as a preventive measure, airports throughout Punjab are now equipped with passenger screening procedures.
Khawaja Salman reassured the public that no monkeypox cases have been reported in Punjab so far. He also announced the establishment of nine centers in key cities such as Lahore, Faisalabad, Multan, Sialkot, and Bahawalpur, aimed at enhancing the province’s disease monitoring capabilities. Moreover, Children’s Hospitals in Lahore, Faisalabad, and Multan have received directives to ensure they are fully prepared.
He expressed gratitude towards former health minister Professor Javed Akram for his technical assistance in setting up the center.
Khawaja Imran Nazir emphasized the significant role of the Early Disease Warning Center in compiling and analyzing statistics on monkeypox and other diseases. He stressed the need for vigilance among all relevant institutions and the preparedness of isolation wards and vaccines in government hospitals.
Professor Javed Akram confirmed the ongoing support from a technical group dedicated to addressing monkeypox and other public health threats.
The event also saw the participation of Additional Secretary Technical Dr. Waseem from the Department of Specialized Healthcare and Medical Education, Professor Mohsin Aftab, and other faculty members. Both health ministers took time to meet with the staff of the Early Disease Warning Center to review the monitoring systems in place.
