GILGIT: Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Minister Khalid Khurshid Khan on Tuesday said his government had created 1,354 posts of medical specialists and technical staff as part of plans to improve health sector in the region.

He was speaking during a special ceremony held here for the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Pakistan and the GB government to start a postgraduate training programme.

Acting CPSP president Dr Mohammad Shoaib Shafi and director Dr Asghar and the GB health officials attended the event.

Under the MoU, for the first time, the CPSP will conduct training workshops in major hospitals of the region for postgraduate supervising doctors in Gilgit from March 29. A total of 35 doctors will undergo training.

The chief minister said for the first time, the GB government was focusing on the development of health infrastructure in Gilgit-Baltistan under which the FCPS postgraduate training had begun in Gilgit, Skardu and Chilas RHQs.

He said the training programme would help address the shortage of doctors and improve patient care in hospitals.

“We have launched a special postgraduate training programme for young doctors in GB. Under this initiative, 93 public and private doctors of the region are undergoing training in major teaching hospitals,” he said. Mr Khurshid said a medical college and a nursing college would be established in Gilgit.

Published in Dawn, March 23rd, 2022