PESHAWAR - Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Minister for Health Shaukat Ali Yousafazi has directed the chief executives, medical superintendents and district health officers of the KPK hospitals to report regarding shortage of doctors, paramedics and medical equipment and necessary items within three days so that proper measures can be taken in this regard.
These directives were issued on Monday during his participation in the meetings of the sub-committees of the working group on health. Advisor to the Chief Minister on Social Welfare Dr Mehr Taj Roghani, Secretary Health Dr Fakhre Alam and Additional Secretary Health Muhammad Anees were also present on the occasion. Members of the sub-committees briefed the minister on the progress so far achieved and assured him that they would present their recommendations to the working group till July 25.
The minister said to make health delivery services better in the hospitals reforms were being introduced in all sectors of the health department from the top to gross root level.
He said for this purpose capacity of the medical institutions from dispensary to big hospitals was being increased so that people could get medical facilities at their doorsteps.
The minister said aim of the reformative measures was to ensure welfare of the common man. He said provision of free emergency services, primary healthcare, extension in the preventive services and institution building would be made soon.
He said rules and regulations would be amended if needed for achieving the goal. He said there were advantages of giving autonomy to the hospitals but that system should be transparent one and based on merit. He said when merit was not followed none of the system could be implemented properly.
The minister said the PTI government was considering autonomy of the hospitals to be made more transparent and from the gross root level.  He said to make performance of the autonomous hospitals more better their heads would be brought under the subordination of the provincial board and their performance would be monitored.
He said income from the autonomous hospitals would go to the hospitals accounts rather to the public exchequer from where the same money would be utilised for the treatment of patients and betterment of the hospitals. He said to eradicate polio and measles like fatal diseases only little immunisation needed for which the EPI would be streamlined and strengthened. He also asked the health officers to identify those sectors where there were great chances of betterment with least expenses.