Peshawar
Director General Health Services Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Dr. Shahid Younas, visited the Khyber Medical University (KMU) Mobile and Public Health Laboratories in Peshawar. It is worth mentioning that the KMU Mobile Laboratory was deployed for 62 days in Peer Baba, District Buner, to diagnose and monitor infectious diseases in flood-affected areas.
During the visit, Dr. Yasir Yousafzai, Director of the Provincial Public Health Reference Laboratory (PPHRL), briefed the DG Health in detail about the performance of the mobile laboratory. He informed that during this deployment, the lab conducted more than 10,000 diagnostic tests, which helped in the early detection of viral and bacterial diseases and played a vital role in controlling post-flood epidemics.
The mobile laboratory worked in close collaboration with the District Health Administration of Buner and other relevant departments.
Dr. Shahid Younas appreciated the efforts of the KMU and PPHRL teams, acknowledging their significant role in strengthening the public health system of the province. He lauded the innovative use of mobile laboratory technology, which has improved diagnostic services and disease surveillance in the remote areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Furthermore, DG Health also visited the Provincial Public Health Reference Laboratory located at KMU, where he was briefed on the advanced diagnostic machinery and network support provided under the Federal Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response System (IDSRS). On this occasion, Dr. Ali ur Rehman, Project Director IDSRS, formally handed over the new laboratory equipment to the Director PPHRL, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
This initiative aims to further enhance the diagnostic capacity of the provincial laboratory and strengthen the system for timely detection and reporting of infectious diseases.
During his visit, Dr. Shahid Younas inspected various sections of the laboratory and reviewed the diagnostic and testing processes. He praised the contributions of KMU and PPHRL, emphasizing that strong coordination between public and private diagnostic institutions is essential for a robust public health system in the province.
