Privatisation of tehsil hospitals on cards

Seven hospitals in Pindi Division included; three major hospitals listed for later phase

RAWALPINDI:

Tehsil headquarters hospitals are also set to be privatised amid what has been described as a severe financial and economic crisis, following the privatisation of government schools.

The report says privatisation of all basic health units and rural health centres across the province has already been completed. In the second phase of privatisation in the health sector, approval has been given to transfer 59 tehsil headquarters hospitals to the private sector.

Seven tehsil headquarters hospitals in Rawalpindi Division - Taxila, Kahuta, Talagang, Sohawa, Jand, Malkwal and Pind Dadan Khan - are included in the list.

Other tehsil headquarters hospitals included in the list are those in Sarai Alamgir, Mandi Bahauddin, Khushab, Layyah, Manchanabad, Piplan, Alipur, Silanwali, Mianwali, Khanewal, Kot Momin, Shorkot, Taunsa, Wazirabad, Jahanian, Khanpur, Kunjah, Rajanpur, Haveli Lakha, Sadiqabad, Ferozewala, Samundri, Hafizabad, Jampur, Kabirwala, Kamoke, Kahror Pakka, Safdarabad, Fort Abbas and Bhera, among others.

The report says larger hospitals will be privatised after this phase. Rawalpindi's three major allied hospitals are included in the privatisation list and will be covered in the third phase.

It further states that 5,500 primary, middle and high schools are scheduled for privatisation in the third phase by September 30, with applications invited from interested parties.

The Punjab Teachers Union and the All Pakistan Clerks Association's Health Department chapter have strongly condemned the privatisation of government schools and health units and demanded that the decision be withdrawn.

Punjab Teachers Union president Sufi Ramzan Inqalabi said school privatisation had increased student dropout rates and that enrollment in government schools this year was also lower than usual.