Peshawar, September 22; Members of the Provincial Assembly of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa belonging to different major political parties met in Peshawar with Speaker Honourable Mr. Kiramat Ullah Khan in the chair. Addressing the gathering the Honourable Speaker commented that these kind of awareness briefing sessions have helped improve the awareness and understanding of the people if not 100% but certainly 95-98%. He laid special emphasis on the education of female students and said that it is the need of the hour and only by educating the girls we can bring about a change in the society. Praising the efforts of PILDAT, the speaker said that this was a timely effort to address the health issues in the flood hit areas and said PILDAT has once again taken a lead in addressing this issue of immunization in flood hit areas.

Earlier, PILDAT Project Manager, Mr. Faheem Ahmed Khan said that during this testing times when the country was faced with deadliest natural disaster in the shape of floods it was time to not only construct the building and houses but also to look after the health of the flood effectees.

Dr. Muhammad Rafiq, Programme Specialist UNICEF gave a power point presentation highlighting the health issues in the flood hit areas and stressed the need of the participation of the MPAs in the immunization campaigns to make them more effective.

Dr. Ershad Karim, Head UNICEF Peshawar also addressed the gathering and informed the participants that UNICEF was actively involved in providing help and health care to the flood stricken people. He informed that till now 1.3 million children have been immunized against various diseases in the flood hit areas.

Mr. Israr Ullah Gandapur a member of the Provincial Assembly of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, termed that this briefing session by PILDAT will prove to be the beginning and will have long term effect on improving the awareness of the MPA�s in particular and their constituents in general.

Mr. Wajih Uz Zaman Khan, MPA and former Minister of Health, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, said that there is a need to make the people aware of the need for vaccination.

Dr. Iqbal Khan Fana, MPA said that the main problem effecting the immunization campaigns is the fact that the cold chain is not maintained as there is no electricity in far flang areas of the province. He emphasized that Solar Energy Operated refrigerators may be supplied for these areas.

Prince Javed, MPA, remarked that with the changing weather the needs of the flood victims have also been changed and they need warm clothes in addition to medicines.

Dr. Faiza Rasheed, MPA, commented that such refrigerators may be provided to maintain the cold chain which is only capable to hold vaccines to help stop the mal practices.

MPAs who attended the briefing session included:

Shah Hussain Khan (MPA, PF-60), Malik Hayat Khan (MPA, PF-93), Isrrar Ullah Khan (MPA, PF-67), Muhammad Anwar (MPA, PF-91), Waji uz Zaman Khan (MPA, PF-56), Sardar Ali Khan (MPA, PF-34), Malik Badshah Saleh (MPA, PF-92), Dr Iqbal Fana (MPA, PF-39), Nargis Sameen (MPA, Reserved Seat), Dr Faiza Rashid (MPA, Reserved Seat), Yasmin Pir Muhammad Khan (MPA, Reserved Seat), Shagufta Malik (MPA, Reserved Seat), Pervez Khan (MPA, PF-16), Moulvi Abdullah (MPA, PF-18), Syed Aqil Shah (MPA, PF-4), Price Javed (MPA, Reserve Seat), Khalifa Abdul Qayyum (MPA, PF-64), Uzma Khan (MPA, Reserve Seat), Kiramat ullah Khan (MPA, PF-7), Tabbasum Younis Katozai (MPA, Reserve Seat).