PESHAWAR: PTI chief Imran Khan on Friday praised his party’s government for large-scale educational and health reforms in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and claimed that 34,000 students left private schools and enrolled themselves in government schools.

He also said the Insaf Health Card programme offered a great service to the people of the province.

Mr. Imran was speaking at the International Obstetrics and Gynecology Conference arranged by the Gynecology Association of Pakistan’s KP captor here.

He said the distribution of health insurance cards would ensure provision of free health services to the underprivileged people in the province.

The PTI chief said the government could offer the programme to all residents of the province.

“The PTI believes in raising voice for the underprivileged (people). Our government has brought reforms in health and education sectors and removed all kinds of discriminations for smooth provision of quality basic health and educational facilities to our people,” he said.

Praises party govt for educational, health reforms

Mr. Imran amusingly asked doctors if they were happy with the chief minister and appreciated the KP government for offering incentives to medical practitioners working in the peripheries of major cities.

CM Pervez Khattak, who was also in attendance, said he had accepted the demand of senior gynecologists for the establishment of a separate gynaecology hospital to meet the shortage of space at gynaecology wards of Peshawar’s teaching hospitals.

He said a 500-bedded gynaecology and obstetrics facility would be established in the province and that a plan for the purpose would be part of the next Annual Developmental Programme 2017-18.

The CM said the people responded to the PTI’s election slogan of change well and that the change of governance system for betterment was happening in the province at fast pace.

He said the depoliticisation of government departments and transparency in their affairs was vital for development and good governance.

Mr. Khattak said the PTI government gave autonomy to almost all departments but even then, protests were held.

“I wonder why someone will take to the streets after having complete autonomy on finances, decision making and running institutions,” he said.

The doctors attending the conference said the proposed gynaecology hospital should not only offer medical assistance but also work as a training facility for medical students and doctors.

They said once trained, doctors would be posted to other districts and thus, bring down the maternal mortality rate considerably.

Published in Dawn, February 4th, 2017