Conflicting statements: Health minister’s promise of free healthcare yet to materialise

Government hospitals say the service is only for emergency treatment.

PESHAWAR:

While the government had promised free healthcare in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa by August 15, residents say they are still paying for treatment in public hospitals.

On separate occasions, including on August 7 in Swat and at a flag-hoisting ceremony on August 14, Health Minister Shaukat Yousafzai had announced free medical care to be provided at state-run hospitals from the 15th of this month.

Yousafzai had announced major changes to the health sector, including free treatment, medicines and the recruitment of doctors, paramedics and nurses on ad hoc basis. None of this has materialised as yet and business is running as usual at three A-grade state-run hospitals.

Ilyas Afridi, a tribal elder from Khyber Agency, said he admitted his daughter at Khyber Teaching Hospital (KTH) three days ago. We have to buy medicines prescribed by the doctor from a private pharmacy, he complained. Afridi’s daughter is being treated for spinal problems. “We have spent Rs7,500 in the past three days and I haven’t received any information regarding free medicine in the hospital,” he claimed.

KTH Chief Executive Umer Ayub, however, clarified that people had been misinformed about the minister’s announcement. He claimed Yousafzai promised only free casualty treatment will be given, which includes indoor, emergency and surgical treatment.

“This is a great initiative of the current government because such facilities are not available in government hospitals anywhere in the world,” he claimed.

The city is considered the primary hub of healthcare in the province and KTH, in addition to the Lady Reading Hospital (LRH) and Hayatabad Medical Complex (HMC), are some of the busiest institutions. Patients from far-flung areas flock here from treatment, but also complain about lack of facilities and mismanagement of doctors.

Shahnawaz Khan, a resident of Swabi, brought his mother to KTH and claimed senior doctors have only visited the ward twice in the three days he had been there. He claimed his mother has been in severe pain and there is no doctor available. “I have also been purchasing expensive medicines from the market,” he said.

Muhammad Shafi, who hails from Upper Dir, has a similar story. He brought a patient to LRH and had to stand in a long queue to obtain a receipt from the OPD. “One clerk has been assigned at the OPD window for male and female patients,” he said. “There was no free medicine available in the hospital and only an injection was given free of charge.”

LRH spokesperson Jamil Shah added people have been confused regarding free healthcare. He said the hospital is providing free 24-hour emergency services, but medicines and OPD charges are not part of those services. It is impossible to provide completely free medical treatment to such a large number of patients,” he said. He explained medicines and overnight admittance fees will still be charged. “The LRH alone treats around 5,000 patients on a daily basis,” he said.

Earlier, announcements of establishing a separate section in the OPD at public hospitals for women doctors to attend to female patients did not bear fruit either.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 28^th, 2013.