May 10, 2007	Thursday	Rabi-us-Sani 22, 1428

PESHAWAR, May 9: Health officials working in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) regularly face threats from local people, which adversely affect health delivery.

“Health workers are facing problems in the North and South Waziristan and Khyber agencies. They are told not to wear pants and shirts, not to roam about with cellphones and not to shave the beard,” said Fata’s director general for health Dr Zubair Khan.

He was speaking at the concluding session of a two-day training workshop here on Wednesday.

He said his department had asked for help from political authorities to provide security to doctors, lady health workers and other personnel involved in the health delivery system.

He informed all those present that the PC-II for construction of a medical college in Fata had been formulated. He said services of a consultant were being acquired to select the site for the medical college.

He said the government had initially allocated Rs10 million for the medical college.

He said a nursing school was also being established in Bajaur Agency.

Dr Zubair said the NWFP Governor Ali Mohammad Jan Aurakzai had taken serious note of the non-usage of the mobile hospitals in Fata.

These units, he said, had been donated by South Korea, and were equipped with advanced equipment.

Later, he gave away certificates to all the participants.