Ahsan Iqbal stresses need to devolve education, health sectors at district level

ISLAMABAD: Minister Planning, Development and Reform Ahsan Iqbal on Tuesday emphasised the need to devolve education and health sectors at district level to improve public service delivery and achieve the sustainable development goals (SDGs).

"We need to have district levels SDGs plans to formulate broader national framework on SDGs," Ahsan Iqbal made these remarks while chairing a second meeting of Committee On Prime Minister's Proposed Plan on SDGs on Tuesday.
The minister said, "There is dire need to enforce emergency in health and education sectors because of our week social foundations." Ahsan Iqbal proposed, "We have to ensure quality education at all levels to impart best skills to our youth by improving the physical infrastructure, imparting teachers training and curriculum and examination reforms. It would bring a revolutionary change in our education system." He also called for introducing district based education and health authorities managed by top class professionals with autonomy to make visible impact.
He pointed out that while most of the areas concerning SDGs fall in the jurisdiction of provinces and their service delivery rests with them. The task is so gigantic that it cannot be left to provinces. Prime minister desires to develop partnership between federal and provincial governments to tackle these issues jointly, he added. "We do not want to repeat the mistakes of MDGs and aspire to make SDGs a success story by treating them as our national development goals," he emphasised.
He said, "Quality healthcare is key for national development." It is fundament right of every citizen that there should specialists available at every DHQ hospital. He felt that federal and provincials governments can partner for upgrading the health sector at tehsil and district levels.
He called for working on war footing to create a big impact in the sectors related to SDGs so that the targets can be achieved in the stipulated time frame.

Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk

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