K-P plans 68 health units in seven merged districts

Initiative taken under PM's Quick Impact Programme

PESHAWAR: Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa has decided to construct 68 Comprehensive Health Units (CHU) under Prime Minister's Quick Impact Programme (QIP) to provide best medical facilities to patients of the erstwhile Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) at their doorsteps.

"These health units would be established in all seven tribal districts and erstwhile frontier regions with latest facilities of specialists' medical and surgical male and lady doctors, gynecologists, ambulance service and laboratories experts to provide 24 hours service to patients," a senior official in Health Department said on Friday.

Each CHU with 35 medical, surgical, nurses and laboratory experts will cover 25,000 population in former FATA, the official said, adding one unit will be constructed with an estimated cost of Rs110 million.

It would be properly solarized and fabricated, and its status would be equivalent to Rural Health Centres of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

"PC-I and other papers work of these units have been completed and would be approved this year hopefully," the official said, adding new hospitals would be constructed on need basis to facilitate ailing patients in all tribal districts.

The old health system would be replaced by the new system in pattern of KP for quick resolution of all health related problems in the newly merged tribal districts, adding preference would be given to doctors having domicile of the newly merged districts in future posing's.

The government has expedited work on mega health projects being constructed with assistance of Pakistan Army in the militancy affected areas and completed scores of state-of-the art hospitals including Mohmand Gatt hospital in Mohmand tribal district, Galjo hospital in Orakzai, Doggar hospital in Central Kurram, Trauma Centre at Parachinar Kurram district, female sector at agency headquarters hospital Miran Shah North Waziristan.

"Most of hospitals in former FATA has been operationalized and are providing quality treatment services to tribal patients," he said, adding it will save time and money of patients being wasted while coming to Peshawar and Islamabad for treatment.

Deficiencies in existing hospitals and basic health units including lack of doctors and paramedical staff are being removed and boundary walls around old hospitals were being constructed.

All major health related programs like Sehat Insaf Cards, AIDs and Malaria Control Programs and free treatment to cancer patients are being extended to the newly merged tribal districts.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 11^th, 2019.