K-P health dept halts transfers in tribal areas

Officials focus on physical, human resources of FATA health directorate

PESHAWAR: As the government moves ahead with integrating the erstwhile tribal areas with the province, the provincial health department has put a stop to all inter-district transfers and postings apart from agreements of health officials from the health departments of the newly-merged areas.

The provincial health department is also salivating over resources of the tribal health directorate and has called for a high-level meeting with the management of the tribal health set up.

“No negotiations, agreements should be held and memorandum of understanding signed with any partner [in health sector], provincial or federal non-government organisations until they have been approved by the competent authority [provincial health department],” read a letter issued by the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) health department on Wednesday.

The health department explained the move as part of the process to integrate the areas of the erstwhile federally administered tribal areas (Fata) into K-P.



In this regard, officials from the Fata health set up have been asked to present in the meeting details on budget allocations for past five years, apart from a list of all the health facilities in newly established districts of Bajaur, Mohmand, Kurram, Khyber, Orakzai, North and South Waziristan.

According to K-P health department officials, a letter has been sent to all the concerned officials from the Fata health sector, summoning them to a meeting with K-P Health Secretary Abid Majeed.

Officials further said that the provincial health department has sought list for all the people employed by the health department in the new districts apart from the staffers employed at the Fata health directorate.

Officials said that a proper health system had been operating in Fata, running health facilities, projects and dealing with different health issues. For this purpose, the health department in Fata was well equipped, including vehicles.

Officials hoped that the list of vehicles would also be produced in the meeting.

“Yes, it was a complete health set up and since this is going to be merged with K-P’s health department, the meeting will be discussing every single item,” a health official, who requested anonymity told The Express Tribune.



He added that apart from the vehicles, details of equipment and other items procured by the Fata health directorate would be discussed in the meeting along with facilitative measures such as the state of information technology and office infrastructure at different health facilities and health offices in the erstwhile Fata agencies.

“Not only these, but the meeting will also be discussing medicines available at facilities, ambulances at different hospitals across the previously Fata agencies will also be discussed,” the official informed. 

Published in The Express Tribune, June 28^th, 2018.