Dearth of specialised hospitals ‘key problem’

Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Health Minister, Syed Qasim Ali Shah has said that lack of hospitals in proportion to the population in the province is causing problems.

He made a surprise visit to Sifwat Ghayur Children Hospital located in the Hajji Camp on Saturday. During this visit, he toured various departments of the hospital where the staff briefed him on their respective areas and informed him about the facilities available at the hospital.

Minister Shah personally went to the OPD counter, interacted with patients and their attendants, and listened to their complaints regarding the hospital. He issued directives to the hospital administration that no patient or attendant should face any inconvenience in access to health services.

Moreover, the minister inspected the cleanliness standards both inside and outside the wards of the hospital. During his statement issued on this occasion, he mentioned that the shortage of specialised hospitals in proportion to the population of K-P is affecting health services in remote areas.

He stated that the Khyber Institute of Child Health Care, a federally funded project, has now become partially operational. He expressed his desire to fully activate it at the earliest by taking this matter to the federal government.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 18th, 2024