A Symposium on Significance of Public Health Supply Chains was held today at the University of Health Sciences, Lahore.
Provincial Minister for Primary & Secondary Healthcare, Secretary Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations & Coordination, Secretary Population Welfare Department, Public health experts, senior officials from Department of Health, Population Welfare Department, provincial DRAP and NGOs participated in the event.
The event aimed to create greater awareness of the subject and formally launch three credit supply chain management course as part of University’s curriculum.
Speaking at the inaugural session, Minister for Primary & Secondary Healthcare, Government of Punjab, Mr. Khawaja Salman Rafique, Minister for Specialized Healthcare & Medical Education, Government of Punjab; acknowledged USAID Global Health Supply Chain Program’s support to the Government of Punjab in institutionalizing public health supply chain management systems in educational and health institutions of the province. He expressed that that the course will benefit officials at all levels of the public sector hierarchy with technical skills in all supply chain functions. This skilled force will contribute and help the government machinery to forecast, quantify, procure and store quality health commodities and distribute to the poor and marginalized community at the grass root level.
Addressing on the occasion, Federal Secretary, MoNHSR&C, Mr. Muhammad Ayub Sheikh congratulated Government of Punjab and University of Health Sciences for starting this much needed initiative and introducing training program on Public Health Supply Chain Management in their university.
Professor Dr. Junaid Sarfaraz Khan, Vice Chancellor, University of Health Sciences, expressed confidence that the course is going to impart on its graduates global best practices in forecasting and quantification, procurement, warehousing, inventory management and create a legacy of scientific and judicious practices in institutions where the graduates will return to. He further stated that it as a historic intervention for creation of supply chain cadre of public health in the province.
Dr. Muhammad Tariq, Country Director of USAID Global Health Supply Chain Program being managed by Chemonics International Inc. highlighted the importance of introducing supply chain management course. The Program is working closely with the Health and Population Welfare departments to create functional synergies across the country to make the supply chain operations up to the international standards.
The symposium ended with the signing of ceremony of Letter of Understanding between USAID, Global Health Supply Chain Program and University of Health Sciences.
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