LAYYA H: A meeting of the District Advocacy Forum (DAF) regarding the Empowerment, Voice and Accountability for Better Health and Nutrition (EVA-BHN) programme was held in the office of the district health of ficer on Friday.

EVA-BHN is a four-year project that aims at empowering citizens to play an active role in improving healthcare service delivery and nutrition among poor populations of the district. The project considered communities important stakeholders in efforts to improve service delivery and aimed at bridging the gap between communities and public health authorities.

The meeting was attended by health department officials, district press club president and secretary, district bar council members and civil society representatives along with EVA-BHN staff.

Chief guest on the occasion was Executive District Officer (EDO) Dr Ahmed Hassan.

EVA-BHN Programme Coordinator Waqar Ahmed briefed participants about objectives of the meeting and the role of the DAF that was expected to support local communities` healthrelated demands.

EVA-BHN Punjab Programme Manager Dr Alchtar Rashid elaborated on why the forum wasessential for the project and how it would act to support demands raised by community groups by representing the poor, marginalised and neglected. He also said the forum was not meant to address personal grievances, individual complaints or political aims.

The participants presented various suggestions regarding the functioning of the forum as well as about rotating the convener for each meeting of the forum in every quarter. They agreed to meet quarterly and set an agenda for the next meeting. The EDO volunteered to give a presentation on health initiatives and procedures and problems being faced by the health department in the next meeting.

AFGHANS: The district police arrested 15 illegal Afghan nationals during a search operation conducted in various areas.

The allegedly illegal residents had been arrested during the last three days of the operation conducted in Layyah city, Karor, Fatehpur, Peer Jagi and Kot Sultan.

District Police Officer Ghazi Salahuddin told Dawn they had also booked seven persons from Kachlak district of Balochistan under Section 55/109 of CRPC as they had failed to provide reasons for living in Layyah.

All the arrested persons were booked under the Foreigners Act, the DPO added.