Bugti reaffirms commitment to quality healthcare

QUETTA:

Balochistan Chief Minister, Mir Sarfraz Bugti, has reaffirmed his government's commitment to providing quality healthcare to every resident of the province without compromise.

He made these remarks while presiding over a review meeting of the Balochistan Health Department. During the meeting, officials briefed the chief minister on the ongoing development initiatives and challenges in the health sector.

It was decided that a new Balochistan Institutional Reforms Act would be introduced to improve services and administrative structures in the sector.

The chief minister directed the authorities to expedite progress on 12 pending legislative drafts, five of which are in the final stages.

Health Secretary Mujeebur Rehman Panizai informed the meeting that efforts are underway to address the shortage of trained personnel. So far, 1,600 doctors, 1,600 paramedics, 60 faculty members, assistant professors, and senior registrars have been recruited, while the hiring of 800 more doctors is also in process.

On the issue of polio eradication, it was noted that 8,000 individuals from the private sector have been engaged, leading to a significant decline in polio cases through a more integrated and effective campaign.

The meeting was also briefed on efforts to establish a command and control system, facilitation centers, surveillance units, a data center, and network operations centers within the Health Department.

The chief minister stressed the urgent need for visible improvement in the province's health sector and directed the immediate activation of the Health Sector Reforms Unit.

He also ordered the formulation of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to evaluate individual performance within the department.

Bugti emphasized that no compromise would be made on public interest, stating, "If someone wants to protest or hold a sit-in, they are free to do so, but the public interest will not be sacrificed."