Its previous home since 2005 was the Health Services Reform Unit in Peshawar, where it had been established with the help of Greenstar Social Marketing and KFW Germany. However, the K-P governor directed in January 2013 that the facility be moved to the FATA Directorate of Health and the shift was finally completed on Monday.
During the ceremony held at the secretariat, FATA Secretary Administration Infrastructure & Coordination Abid Majeed ordered Director Health Services Dr Pervaiz Kamal Khan and other project managers to carry the initiative forward and ensure that it is fully utilised.
The centre remains a primary source for health-related queries and answers numerous calls every day about reproductive health, infants, seasonal diseases, emergency contraception, family planning and other issues.
The facility is well-equipped and has a man and a woman doctor on duty at all times, apart from a systems engineer. The aim is to allow the public easy access to quality advice, medical counselling, information on family planning and other reproductive health matters. The management ensures caller privacy and wishes to reach a greater level of understanding of people’s medical concerns through feedback and comments.
It also aims to refer patients to the nearest medical facilities and maximise the use of clinics in Fata. The call centre hopes that vertical health programmes such as the Extended Programme on Immunisation (EPI) incorporate the toll-free number (0800-11171) in their mobilisation and awareness campaigns so that people have easy access to information.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 19th,2014.
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