PESHAWAR: Insaf Doctors Forum, an organisation of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, on Saturday complained about the rampant misuse of powers, violation of merit and corruption in the provincial health department and urged the PTI chairman, Imran Khan, to step in and ensure the early necessary action.

The complaint was made by IDF provincial president Dr Nasir Afridi during a news conference at the Peshawar Press Club.

Dr Afridi said patients were suffering due to poor services and lack of facilities at major teaching hospitals and tertiary health units across the province.

He alleged that merit was being ignored during appointments to senior health department positions, while corruption was rampant.

The IDF president also complained about unavailability of medicines at government health centres in the province and said the situation had led to the misery of visitors, mostly poor people.

Accompanied by IDF general secretary Dr Kamran Khan, information secretary Dr Jawad Mohmand and provincial vice president Dr Noor Habib, Dr Afridi said the forum met PTI chairman Imran Khan two weeks ago and apprised him of ground realities of health sector in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa so that he would take action in this respect.

He said the party chief issued directives for reforms in health sector in the presence of provincial health minister Shahram Khan Tarakai but no step had so far been PTI medics allege massive corruption in health dept taken for the purpose.

The IDF president said his organisation had serious concerns about rampant corruption, violation of merit in appointments, and negligence in provision of medicines and other facilities to poor patients at major hospitals in the province.

He said the IDF was not taken into confidence regarding health initiatives in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which was completely unjust towards the doctors’ body, an organisation of PTI.

Dr Afridi said the reports presented by relevant officials regarding KP health sector before the PTI chairman Imran Khan, were completely contrary to ground realities and factual situations in the province.

“We demand appointments in health sector on merit, provision of facilities to poor patients, and consultation with doctors on policies and initiatives by the health department,” he said.

The IDF president demanded the immediate end to corruption and said his organisation would apprise the PTI chief of ground realities of health sector.

He said he was hopeful that Imran Khan would take their reservations seriously and ensure measures to address them.

Dr Afridi, however, warned if the reservations were ignored, then his organisation would call a meeting of its general body on Feb 26 to decide about the future course of action.

Published in Dawn, February 22nd, 2015

On a mobile phone? Get the Dawn Mobile App: Apple Store | Google Play