Policy advisory body for K-P health sector

Panel will review current policy, strategic direction of the department

PESHAWAR: Despite having undertaken a host of radical measures to put health facilities in the province on the ‘right track’ already during its last tenure, the provincial government has now created a special advisory council for surprisingly a similar purpose leading critics to ask whether the move was undertaken to either accelerate past measures or an afterthought to streamline the process.



The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Health Ministry has constituted a whopping 27-member Health Policy Advisory Council (HPAC). The council, which will have a term for five years (as long as the political term of the government) will include members from the government, development partners, health-related agencies of the United Nations and non-government organisations.

The council will be chaired by the K-P health minister as its chairman while the provincial health secretary will be its co-chairman.

Official documents pertaining to the HPAC, a copy of which is available with The Express Tribune, said that the council will review current policy and strategic direction of the provincial health department,

The council will receive and review expert views, advice and proposals to strengthen the health department.



Moreover, it will put forward its own recommendations to the provincial health department on evidence-based provincial health policy and strategic direction for the strengthening of the health system besides promoting good governance along with overseeing progress on implementation of its recommendations with immediate effect.

The council will also formulate recommendations for efficient and equitable health service provisions by strengthening the health system besides reviewing the financing requirements for the health department and advise resource mobilisation in case of financial gaps.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 27^th, 2018.