PESHAWAR, Oct 11: The NWFP Health Department has decided to establish alternative medicine centres, by setting up homeopathic and Tibb-i-Islami dispensaries in every district headquarter hospital of the province.

“An amount of Rs37.54million has been allocated for a three- year-long projected (period) in the annual development programme. The performance and utility of these outlets would be monitored and evaluated on yearly basis ...,” health minister Inayatullah Khan told Dawn here Saturday.

He said a homeopath and a Tabib would be appointed in the BPS- 16 in each of the 24 districts, supported by a dispenser and a ward orderly.

Inyatullah Khan said initially these dispensaries would be set up as part of a pilot project, adding that they would form part of a permanent department if things went right, benefiting patients, resulting in induction of more homeopathic doctors, Hakims and other auxiliary staff on a regular basis.

The health minister said that the concept of alternative medicines was gaining currency throughout the world and the World Health Organisation had also accepted its importance. The WHO, he said, had been asking member countries to introduce alternative medicines to expand their health delivery network.

The minister said that a special cell would be created at the office of the director-general health services, adding that two assistant directors — one each for homeopathic and Tibb — would be appointed in the BPS-17, who would monitor and evaluate the functioning of these outlets.

Likewise, he said, a committee has been working under the director-general health services to sort out modalities about the project. The government, he said, was also planning to establish more colleges for homeopathy and Tib in the province.