RAWALPINDI: With an aim to complete it by March 17, the Punjab government on Monday started screening prisoners at Adiala Jail in a health initiative that will be extended to other 43 jails across the province.

On the instructions of interim Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi, Minister for Primary and Secondary Healthcare Dr Jamal Nasir inaugurated the health screening programme for 55,000 prisoners in Adiala Jail.

The health screening in 43 jails of Punjab will be completed by March 17. During this exercise, patients will be tested for Aids, hepatitis, TB, diabetes, and blood pressure, and their height and weight will also be checked.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Jamal Nasir said that under the health screening programme, prisoners will be vaccinated and given treatment in case of diagnosis.

He said that the provision of standard facilities will be ensured. He said that for health screening, special counters will be set up in all the jails across Punjab in which doctors and paramedical staff will be present.

He added that necessary medical supplies were also available in abundance.

Dr Nasir said that there were more than six thousand prisoners in Adiala Jail. He said that four doctors have been appointed in the jail in addition to 24 paramedicatl staff who will screen prisoners.

He said that the process of upgrading the hospitals of seven major jails of Punjab was in progress while the number of doctors and health staff would also be increased.

Director General Health Dr Ilyas Gondal said that along with the screening of prisoners, all medicines would be provided free of charge and all necessary testing kits and equipment for health screening were available.

The provincial minister visited different parts of the jail and inquired from the inmates about the medical facilities in the jail. They expressed their satisfaction on the provision of basic necessities of life including medical treatment.

Anti-polio campaign launched A five-day anti-polio drive started in the garrison city and during the campaign, 947,000 children below the age of five years will be vaccinated.

Punjab Health Minister Dr. Jamal Nasir inaugurated the anti-polio campaign in 13 districts of Punjab by administering polio drops to children at the District Health Authority offices in Rawalpindi.

Director General Health Dr. Ilyas Gondal, Deputy Commissioner Rawalpindi Hasan Waqar Cheema and District Health Officer Dr Sheikh Amir Mahmood were also present on this occasion.

Speaking on the occasion, the minister said that more than 10 million children will be vaccinated across the province while 947,000 children will be vaccinated in Rawalpindi.

He said that 3272 teams have been formed for anti-polio campaign in Rawalpindi. He said that through the anti-polio campaign, we are securing our future and the teams of the health department will go door-to-door and administer anti-polio drops to the children.

He said that the parents should cooperate with the anti-polio teams because it was important to secure the health of their children and to make the anti-polio campaign successful for a healthy society.