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A health-sector think tank |
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35 |
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Viewpoint 30 - Budget – five points under the health lens [June 26, 2008] |
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A new viewpoint entitled “Budget – five points under the health lens” published in The NEWS International on Saturday, June 21, 2008 is accessible as usual on the Forum website http://heartfile.org/viewpoint.htm.
Best regards Sania |
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Viewpoint 28 - Honing the 100-day agenda and Viewpoint 29 - Pakistan's Covert Cartels [June 9, 2008] |
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Dear Members of the Health Policy Forum,
Please note that two new viewpoints # 28 and 29 entitled “Honing the 100-day agenda” and “Pakistan’s Covert Cartels” published in The NEWS International on Sunday, April 06, 2008 and Thursday, May 22, 2008 respectively are accessible as usual on the Forum website http://heartfile.org/viewpoint.htm.
Best regards Sania |
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Announcement [March 12, 2008] |
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Dear Members of the Health Policy Forum,
A doctorate student by the name of Katrina Amna Ronis is undertaking her research thesis from Flinders University, Australia; she is also concurrently based at Heartfile as our Senior Public Health Officer. Katrina’s thesis is focused on Pakistan’s Health Policy Forum; as part of her research she will be ascertaining whether the Forum has achieved its stated objectives and whether it is a model for replication. As part of her research Katrina has designed a questionnaire using the software programme surveymonkey.com. I would like to take this opportunity to inform you that this questionnaire will be emailed to all Forum members within in the next week or so.
It would be advantageous for the Forum to have the findings from this survey; the insights that her research will yield can also be instructive to the restructuring of the forum, which as you know is currently underway. I would therefore encourage your participation in this evaluation. Katrina will shortly be in touch with further details in this regard.
With regards, Sania |
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Viewpoint 25: Political party manifestos – a sectoral insight [February 16, 2008] |
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Dear Members of the Health Policy Forum,
Please note that the recent viewpoint entitled “Political party manifestos - a sectoral insight” published in The NEWS International on Saturday, February 16, 2008 is accessible as usual on the Forum website http://heartfile.org/viewpoint.htm as viewpoint 25.
Best regards Sania |
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Viewpoint 24: The Social Sector – telling evidence [January 30, 2008] |
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Dear Members of the Health Policy Forum,
Please note that the recent viewpoint entitled “The Social Sector – telling evidence” published in The NEWS International on Wednesday, January 30, 2008 is accessible as usual on the Forum website http://heartfile.org/viewpoint.htm as viewpoint 24.
Best regards Sania |
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Viewpoint no. 23: Corruption: the need-greed equation [December 1 |
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Dear Members of the Health Policy Forum,
Please find enclosed herewith a recent viewpoint entitled as “Corruption: the need-greed equation” published in The NEWS International on Sunday, December 09, 2007. This is accessible as Viewpoint 23 on the Forum website http://heartfile.org/viewpoint.htm
Best regards Sania |
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GETTING THE FACTS STRAIGHT ON HIV/AIDS
[December 1 |
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From: Frank White [mailto:Frank.White@Dal.Ca] Sent: Friday, December 07, 2007 4:58 PM To: editor@dawn.com Cc: sania@heartfile.org Subject: GETTING THE FACTS STRAIGHT ON HIV/AIDS
Seriously incorrect information on HIV/AIDS was presented in the November 5th issue of Dawn, which stated (page 3) that Pakistan has moved to "high prevalence" from "low prevalence". To the contrary, it has moved from "low prevalence" to the category of a "concentrated epidemic" so far restricted mostly to high risk groups, particularly injecting drug users, as well as commercial sex workers. This is very different from the category of "high prevalence" (which applies to advanced epidemics, as seen (for example) in many African countries and to some in south-east Asia. The article also states that "in Pakistan, blood transmission accounts for 80% of the HIV cases". This also is false information; while it is critically important to protect the blood supply, the majority of infections (as noted) are in high risk groups.
Factually correct information is vital to understanding where Pakistan stands in relation to the spread of HIV, and the paramount need to prevent its spread from high risk groups to the general population. Pakistan still has time to avert a widespread epidemic: protecting the blood supply is only one among several strategies; as in all countries, behavioural intervention strategies including risk and harm reduction measures are of critical importance.
Franklin White MD formerly Chair, Community Health Sciences, AKU President, PacificSci <www.pacificsci.org>, Canada Pakistan Health Policy Forum, Islamabad
Frank White [mailto:Frank.White@Dal.Ca] |
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Viewpoint no. 22: Does corruption lurk in the health
sector of Pakistan?
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Dear Members of the Health Policy Forum,
Please find enclosed herewith a recent viewpoint of Pakistan’s Health Policy Forum entitled as “Does corruption lurk in the health sector of Pakistan?” which appeared in THE NEWS INTERNATIONAL on Sunday August 05, 2007. This is accessible as usual on the Forum website http://heartfile.org/viewpoint.htm
Best regards Sania |
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Viewpoint no. 21: Disease Diplomacy [ |
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Dear Members of the Health Policy Forum,
Please find enclosed herewith a recent viewpoint of Pakistan’s Health Policy Forum entitled as “Disease Diplomacy” which appeared in THE NEWS INTERNATIONAL on Sunday July, 11th 2007. This is accessible as usual on the Forum website http://heartfile.org/viewpoint.htm
Best regards Sania |
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Launch of Gateway Paper
II – Health Indicators of Pakistan
[June 28 |
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Dear Members of the Health Policy Forum, I am pleased to be communicating this newsflash to you which announces the launch of Gateway paper II entitled “ Health Indicators of Pakistan”. This book was launched by Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz on June 26, 2007; details about the launch can be accessed through our homepage http://heartfile.org whereas the pdf version of the document is posted at http://heartfile.org/gwhiop-doc.htm Copies have already been posted to all members of the forum and limited number of additional copies can be made available be sending a request to aamra@heartfile.org Many thanks to those of you who shared their data and helped review sections. With regards, Sania |
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Newsflash - Launch of the Gateway Paper 2
[June |
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Dear Members of the Health Policy Forum,
I am pleased to be inviting you the launch of the Second Gateway Paper entitled “Health Indicators of Pakistan”. Many of you have been involved in providing your valuable inputs/sharing data and I am extremely grateful to you for all your contributions.
Gateway Paper II serves many purposes; firstly, it constitutes the situational analysis for the draft of the upcoming national and provincial health policies, work on which is close to completion. The publication sets forth a set of health indicators and reflects data collected from various data sources in the country as these indicators. In doing so, it also yields information of relevance to the health information systems of Pakistan in addition to health status. It therefore offers recommendations to strengthen Pakistan’s health information system and forms a template for periodic reporting of health indicators within the country – the collaboration with the Federal Bureau of Statistics will ensure institutional linkages for that purpose.
The launch is scheduled to be held on June the 26th at 11.30 am at the Prime Minister’s secretariat in Islamabad. The event is scheduled to last an hour and a half. We have courier posted invitations to all member of the Forum and this note is in addition to that. For any queries I or Azhar Iqbal (azhar@heartfile.org; 0300 8543686) can be contacted.
We look forward to welcoming you.
With regards, Sania |
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Viewpoint no. 20: How
"healthy" is our budget 2007? [June 18 |
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Dear Members of the Health Policy Forum, Please find enclosed herewith a recent viewpoint in relation to budgetary allocations for health in the National budget of 2007. Entitled "Health and the budget 2007 – How "healthy" is our budget?", the article appeared in THE NEWS INTERNATIONAL on Sunday June, 10 th 2007 and is accessible, as usual, on our website http://heartfile.org/viewpoint.htm Best regards Sania |
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Invitation to Post
Gateway Stakeholders meeting on Disabilities in Karachi, 27 January 2007
[January |
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As you are aware, Heartfile is currently hosting a number of Health policy networking meetings with stakeholders as part of the development of a new health policy which is being based on the Gateway Paper’s approach to health systems; members of the Health Policy Forum are participating in this effort. As an active member of the Health Policy Forum, Murshid Hospital and Health Care Centre (MHHCC), Karachi is proactively partnering in this effort to mainstream the policy perspective of disabilities into the new policy. We are committed to a ‘reduction in excess mortality, morbidity, and disability and especially in poor and marginalized populations.’[1] Murshid Hospital and Health Care Centre has taken small steps in our chosen strategic directions laid down in the Plan. The October 8 earthquake disaster prompted many knee-jerk reactions to help the traumatized survivors. Although the response of MHHCC Board to reach out to the physically challenged persons in the devastated areas was an emotional one, it followed the key ingredients of PHPF’s Strategic Plan, posted at http://heartfile.org/pdf/phpf_Strategic_plan.pdf
You are invited to a stakeholders meeting on Saturday, January 27, 2007 at 3:00pm at the Pearl Continental Hotel, Karachi. A detailed programme is included below. CHAL in coordination with six Rotary Clubs of Karachi are co-hosts of this meeting with PHPF. CHAL, is a network anchored in MHHCC and comprises of existing rehab units and professionals committed to serving the disabled in the quake hit areas. CHAL is supported by international relief agencies, local corporate sector, NGOs and philanthropists. It has established two remote rehab centres in collaboration with Pakistan Institute of Prosthetic & Orthotic Sciences. Financial support to sustain these centres for three years is assured. In the meantime, efforts are underway to build capacity and empower the local communities to take ownership of these centres.
Lack of such critical essential facilities in the country in general will severely hamper us to attain our stated goal. CHAL has, with the collaboration of six Rotary Clubs of Karachi and PHPF invited stakeholders to a meeting in Karachi to discuss the ways forward to upgrade or establish workshop/s and also consider initiating a BSc programme certified by the International Society of Prosthetics & Orthotics (ISPO). Ultimately this initiative is intended to be rolled out nationally to support existing rehab service providers.
In this role, MHHC and Chal, as members of the forum are truly operating within the spirit of the Forum to act as civil society mechanisms for fostering change within the health sector, helping institutionalize change, and bringing stakeholders on board to assist in this effort.
Confirmations/requests for assistance may please be sent to Rotarian Nisar Shaikh, details are given below after the programme.
Haamid Jaffer Member, Health Policy Forum |
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21 |
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Viewpoint 17: A new
paradigm for regulating drugs and pharmaceuticals
[January |
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Dear Members of the Health Policy Forum,
Please find enclosed herewith a recent viewpoint of Pakistan’s Health Policy Forum on the role of “the Drug Regulatory Authority” which appeared in THE NEWS INTERNATIONAL on Sunday January, 7th 2007. This is accessible as usual on the Forum website http://heartfile.org/viewpoint.htm
Best regards Sania
Sania |
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20 |
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Viewpoint no. 14, 15 and
16
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Dear Members of the Health Policy Forum, I am pleased to inform you that the next three viewpoints of the Health Policy Forum have been published and can be accessed through http://heartfile.org/viewpoint.htm. The themes are contemporary and their titles appear as under:
15. Opening the insurance market – the health perspective, Sunday, October 01, 2006 14. “Playing” Social Protection with a new stack of cards!, September 2006
Sania |
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19 |
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Comments Re: Viewpoint 11 [ |
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Dear Members, |
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18 |
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Comment Re: Viewpoint 11 [ |
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Dear Members of the
Health Policy Forum, |
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17 |
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Viewpoint 13: Health in ECNEC [ |
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Dear Members of the
Health Policy Forum, |
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16 |
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Viewpoint 12: The Health and Technology Nexus [August 30, 2006] |
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Dear
members of the Health Policy Forum, |
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15 |
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Viewpoint 11: Restructuring Basic Health Units in |
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Dear
Members of the Health Policy Forum, Please
find another viewpoint of the Health Policy Forum relating to the recent
efforts underway to restructure basic health units in I am
also enclosing it in its text form in the body of this e mail given that some
of you have been experiencing difficulties accessing the web versions. With
regards, |
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14 |
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Comments Re: Response to Viewpoint 8 - 9 [ |
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Dear Members of the
Health Policy Forum, |
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13 |
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Viewpoint 10: Piecemeal doesn’t cure [July 20, 2006] |
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Dear Members of the Health Policy Forum, Please find enclosed herewith a recent
viewpoint of the Health Policy Forum, which appeared in SUNDAY NEWS DAILY on
July the 2nd. Entitled “Playing health with a new stack of
cards”, this was carried by the editor in THE NEWS by the name of
“Piecemeal doesn’t cure” The context of this relates
to the tabling of the Vision 2030 forecast exercise by the Planning
Commission of Pakistan. The article was released to bring clarity to the
manner in which health needs to be restructured as part of such a planning and
forecasting exercise. The viewpoint can be accessed at
► http://heartfile.org/viewpoint.htm |
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12 |
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Viewpoint 8 - 9: Budgetary allocations for health in the fiscal budget of 2006-07 [June 30, 2006] |
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11 |
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Comments Re: Viewpoints 2 - 7 [June 22, 2006] |
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Dear Members of the Health Policy Forum, Kindly find enclosed herewith a recent communication
from Prof. Franklin White, former chair of the Department of Community Health
Sciences at the Best regards, Sania -----Original
Message----- Dear Sania: Thank you for bringing the developing set of
policy papers to my attention (and the attention of others in the Forum) in
such a convenient package. I had already read some, but not
all, but this was a good way to review the progress of this effort. You are to be congratulated for the development
of such well-focused pieces, which (being also short) should fit the
attention span of many politicians and senior beaurocrats,
and most general readers. That's quite an accomplishment! I can well understand that you would like others
to contribute, as I suspect that you need a break at least once in a while;
it may be difficult to sustain this approximately monthly monthly
flow of high quality commentary. Now spekaing
personally, I am not ready to contribite myself,
largely due to the newness of my CIDA monitorinr
role. However, I will keep this possibility in mind. In the meantime, well done with all of
this! While I have been largely silent lately, I am following your
efforts with interest. Frank |
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10 |
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Viewpoint 2 - 7: for titles see ► [June 08, 2006] |
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Dear members of the Health Policy Forum, Kindly note that the Health Policy Forum/Think
Tank has regularly started posting viewpoints on contemporary health issues
in major national newspapers; these are accessible at
h► |
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