January 07, 2008	Monday	Zilhaj 27, 1428

PESHAWAR, Jan 6: The NWFP health department will devise a new strategy to ensure timely repair and maintenance works at the 1,600 health facilities across the province, health officials said.

“Allocation of funds to district governments under the Provincial Finance Commission (PFC) has created problems for the provincial health department which finds it difficult to secure funds for maintenance and repair works for health facilities from the district governments,” they said.

“We are trying to devise a strategy to ensure prompt repair and maintenance of equipment and buildings of all health facilities across the province,” the officials said.

Under the new strategy, they said, district health maintenance and repair (DHM&R) teams comprising respective district nazims, executive district officers, representative of works and service department, representatives of non-governmental organisations and people from private sector would be formed to ensure prompt maintenance and repair works in all health facilities across the province.

The teams would use a simple strategy to accomplish all specified tasks within the stipulated period.

Members of the teams would, from time to time, hold meetings to pinpoint problems with regard to maintenance and repair works and make plans and get desired funds from district governments.

Once the strategy was put into practice, its flaws would be removed with the passage of time, the officials said.