Health care reform: Rs3.3b incentive for doctors finalized

PESHAWAR: Chief Minister Pervez Khattak has agreed to grant more perks and incentives to doctors in a bid to encourage them to perform duties in remote areas of the province. This was stated in a handout issued by the CM’s Secretariat on Tuesday. Khattak was speaking at a meeting at the secretariat to discuss challenges faced by the health sector. “The proposed incentives will be an additional burden on the provincial budget which is estimated to be around Rs3.3 billion,” read the document. “However, the chief minister will officially give a go-ahead to the proposed plan next week.”  During the meeting, the CM directed the relevant departments to prepare a comprehensive report of hospitals that lack necessary equipment and medicines. He also approved the appointment of 900 nurses and 500 health technicians on an ad hoc basis. Minister for Health Shahram Khan Tarakai and Minister for Education Muhammad Atif were among those who attended the meeting.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 11^th, 2015.