BHIMBER, October 21: Sardar Masood Khan, President of Azad Jammu and Kashmir has said public awakening and spirit of self-help is the key to progress and prosperity in the society.
He expressed these views while addressing as chief guest at a function held in connection with 10th anniversary of Chinar Free Dialysis Centre being run by a local welfare organisation, Kashmir Dost Anjaman Falah-o- Behbood.
The function was also addressed by AJK Senior Minister, Chaudhry Tariq Farooq, Health Minister, Dr. Najib Naqi, former Member of Punjab Assembly Amir Usman, President of Kashmir Dost Anjaman Falah-o- Behbood, Ghulam Ahmed Chaudhry and others.
The president highly appreciated the performance of the welfare organization and spirit of its management for smoothly running dialysis center for ten years to provide critical medical facilities to the thousands of patients from different parts of AJK and adjoining areas of the Punjab province.
Terming progress of the welfare organization as one of the big success stories, the president said initiative should be followed as model in other parts of Azad Jammu and Kashmirr to provide relief to the ailing humanity.
“I am quite impressed to learn about the ten years performance of the organization and prepare to serve the organization as its ambassador to knock every door in the world and bring help to it,” President Khan said.
The President said that government alone cannot ensure all citizens’ excess to quality healthcare so it is responsibility of the civil society and welfare organisation to come forward and augment the efforts of the government in this respect.
The President urged the management of the welfare organisation to take similar initiatives in other parts of Bhimber and Mirpur district to fill the void left by public sector departments.
Urging the welfare organizations working in the health sector to create awareness about negative health impacts of physical inactivity, President Masood said that physical inactivity increases the risk of many major adverse health conditions including diseases like coronary heart diseases, diabetes and high blood pressure.
Speaking on the occasion AJK Senior Minister Chaudhry Tariq Farooq said that promotion of the culture of merit and improvement in healthcare service delivery along with development of education sector remains priority of present government. He said that government will continue to seek partnership with civil society and public welfare organizations to jointly work in strengthening the health sector.
He said that majority of the Kashmiris from this region now settled abroad are ready to help credible organizations like Kashmir Dost Welfare Organization and asked the management of the organization to further improve its performance to solicit support from the donor community.
AJK Health Minister, Dr. Najib Naqi while appreciating the excellent work Chinar Free Dialysis Center assured all- out support to sponsoring organization in its welfare-oriented endeavours. He said that AJK Health Department has decided to set up a separate cell to receive nonmonetary contribution and donations-in- kind from the donors willing to strengthen the health sector. – PR
