PESHAWAR, Sept 12: The NWFP government is to begin an exercise in order to standardize health care facilities in the province as per requirements of the World Trade Organization (WTO). 

Being a signatory to the WTO regime Pakistan is required to improve its health care services.

“Initially, the Health Department, in collaboration with the WHO would start developing two selected rural health centres (RHCs)  and two basic health units (BHUs) in the province to provide them with necessary equipments, impart training to the staffers and improve the working environment,” said Dr Fayyaz Ali of the Health Department.

According to him, two BHUs, one each in Jalala and Qasim, and two RHCs in Kotlang and Toru in district Mardan had been selected as pilot projects, which would be developed into best health care facilities through joint efforts of the Health Department and the WHO.

In this connection, the WHO sent a letter to the Health Department on September 1, requesting it to officially notify the names of members of the provincial as well as district accreditation committees. The names of a five-member provincial committee, trained by the WHO, had already been notified.

Term of reference of the committees include: recommendation of policy guidelines for the approval of the government, provision of technical inputs and holding quarterly meetings to evaluate the performance of health facilities.

The philosophy behind the exercise is that the existing system has terribly failed to deliver and after the implementation of the WTO’s regime, it would be impossible for these outlets to function.

During the exercise, it would also be judged whether the staff was getting salaries commensurate with the volume of their work.

According to Dr Ali, logistic support would be provided by the Health Department, whereas the world health agency would impart the necessary know-how to make the exercise a success.

The provincial and district committees would mobilize local resources to provide required funds to these facilities. A final report would be submitted to the provincial government by the district committee before December 3, 2003.

After the success of the pilot project at the BHUs and RHCs level, it would be launched at the tehsil and district level health care facilities.

The WHO has also planned a two-day workshop in Mardan to train people involved in the project to carry out a need-based survey before the implementation of the project.

Likewise, the WHO would organize a one-day orientation workshop for the district health authorities.