K-P health dept seeks Rs3b for improving services

Writes to finance department for releasing funds for procuring equipment

PESHAWAR: In order to minimise the burden on tertiary care hospitals and improving services at primary and secondary healthcare facilities, the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) health department has asked the provincial finance department to release Rs3 billion for procuring equipment.

According to details, the Independent Monitoring Unit (IMU), which is tasked with reporting shortcomings in healthcare facilities, has pointed out to missing facilities at the primary and secondary healthcare facilities and submitted a report to the health department.



The department, after going through the reports, sent a letter to the finance department on November 17 asking them to release Rs3 billion for the procurement of the equipment.

The facilities, for which the equipment will be purchased, range from civil dispensaries to basic health units and district headquarter hospitals, said the letter, a copy of which is available with The Express Tribune. It added that the provincial cabinet had already approved the procurement of the items on October 26.

“List of the equipment, duly verified by all district health officers, medical superintendents and director general health services, is already available,” the health department conveyed to the finance department, adding that since the rate was contracting, direct orders would be placed tomorrow (Monday).

On top of the Rs3 billion, a grant worth Rs10.613 billion has also been approved by the provincial cabinet for procurement of medical equipment for different health facilities including Rs2.4 billion for the Peshawar Institute of Cardiology.

A sum of Rs2.264 billion has also been approved for purchase of equipment for the newly-constructed wards at Lady Reading Hospital, Rs2.714 billion for purchase of equipment for newly-constructed casualty block at Khyber Teaching Hospital, and Rs2 billion for purchase of equipment for the newly-constructed building at Saidu Group of Teaching Hospital in Swat.



The list also included an amount of Rs600 million for purchase of equipment for the Institute of Kidney Diseases Hayatabad Medical Complex.

The funds, according to the letter, will be placed in a specially designated assignment account and can only be utilized when procurement of medical equipment is made.

The department has also asked the finance department to release Rs227.3 million for a networking system, operation theatres, fire-fighting system for allied wards, and newly constructed wards at the facilities so that the remaining work is completed within the specified time.