News Details

14/07/2017

Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Pervez Khattak has said the target of the expansion of improved health governance for efficient healthcare

Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Pervez Khattak has said the target of the expansion of improved health governance for efficient healthcare was the poor in the society and the reforms of the provincial government worked beyond expectations expending health coverage to all left in the past from the health cover. The health-Insaf card was pro poor initiative that his government expended from 18 lac families to 24 lac families in the current fiscal year. The government would give additional 10 lac cards to the poor, extending it from 51% of the population to 70% of the population of the entire province. The chief Minister declared 10% of the district government budget for the compulsory healthcare in a given district and the provincial government would put its share to the required level, he added. He said that the solarization of BHUs throughout the province would cost Rs. 360 million. He was presiding over a meeting on health reforms at Chief Minister House Peshawar today. Chairman PTI Imran Khan specially attended the meeting. Others included Minister Health, Shahram Khan Tarakai and administrative secretary. During the meeting, the participants were briefed about the reforms at different tiers of health governance, improved healthcare facilities, the expansion and improvement of infrastructure, medicines and availability of doctors etc. The meeting was told that the budget of health department was raised from Rs. 18 billion to Rs. 65 billion in the current fiscal year. The four tiers formula gave vertical mobility to the doctors and the deficiency of doctor’s availability was overcome through employment of specialists and other doctors. Similarly, the beds availability in these hospitals was further enhanced by 27%, enhancing the available from 18188 beds to 5070 beds, the vaccination workers were enhanced making the facility available at per two union councils which were even beyond the international standard. The meeting was further informed about the creation of posts of 850 dentists and another 175 specialist doctors were recruited to ensure maximum specialties for specialized services in all hospitals to make up and cover the deficiency in different hospitals throughout the province, adding that the OPD coverage was enhanced from 14.623% to 24.715% and doubled the strength of the doctors. The spending of per capita was 6.92 dollars that raised to 22.88 dollars and the budget for Cancer treatment was brought to Rs. 2 billion. The meeting was told that the workers welfare board was initially responsible for the construction and establishment of the burn centre but the federal government showed lukewarm attitude for the burn centre as it was to be established in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. This lukewarm attitude enhanced the initial expenditure on the burn centre from Rs. 300 million to 1.5 billion. Now the provincial government was establishing it with the help of USAID and the PC-I was cleared by the PSDP. Pervez Khattak termed the performance of health department excellent adding that the essence of the reforms was to extend health coverage to the poor in the society. His government was investing on human development as per vision of Imran Khan. Sehat Insaf Card was a unique step his government took that cost Rs. 700 million. He announced adding another 10 lac families to the Sehat Insaf Card net thus enhancing it from 18 lac families to 24 lac families and from 51% to 70% of the total population of the province. Imran Khan the Chairman of PTI declared Sehat Insaf Card is an unparallel step by the provincial government setting an example before other provinces to follow. It is a huge humanitarian task and is in line with the agenda of PTI to target the poor in the society for health coverage. He said that the strength of the institutions is normally judged by the services they provided and the end beneficiaries are those who are out of the stream. The Chief Minister referred to the initial teasing problems in the Sehat Insaf Card including the gaps in the health financing etc and added that his government commitment made it a success story. It was initially started with the help of German government in the four districts and when his government announced its extension to the whole of province it was term to be an unrealistic project and doubted to be a dream that will never come true but it was made a success story in the province. He directed to focus on health sector and further directed that the 10% allocation of the district government would stand compulsory spending on health related activities in a given district. He directed the Minister Health and Secretary Health to monitor the activities and working of Board of Directors and there should be no compromise on conflict of interest. Chief of PTI Imran Khan advised that dishonest and discredited should be replaced by the men of integrity and credible and honest people should be inducted to the Board of Governors. The Pattern of Hayatabad Medical Complex should be replicated. He said that all obstructions could be removed hindering the reforms agenda adding that change is always resisted by the forces of status quo but the firm commitment is the ultimate winner of the game. =========