PESHAWAR: Chief Minister Mahmood Khan has termed the provision of quality healthcare facilities an integral policy of his government and said that they have introduced reforms alongside uplift schemes in the health sector which is a major step towards the establishment of a welfare state.

He said the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government was taking various measures, including upgradation of basic healthcare facilities, provision of medical equipment to health centres and recruitment of doctors besides uplifting tertiary care hospitals in order to provide quality treatment to the people on their doorstep.

In a statement issued from the CM Secretariat here on Saturday, Mahmood Khan stated that a project had been initiated to revamp the non-teaching district headquarters hospitals across the province which on completion would provide quality treatment facilities to people at the local level.

Besides, rural health centres and basic health units are also being converted to 24/7 health facilities.

The chief minister stated that the incumbent provincial government had planned development projects in all sectors, including the health sector, as per requirements of the people.

A total of 132 projects, including 91 ongoing and 41 new, have been included in the current provincial annual development programme regarding healthcare.

Moreover, Rs25 billion have been earmarked for the health card plus, Rs10 billion for the provision of free medicines for the first time in the history of the province and establishment of four medical colleges in different districts during the current financial year.

It said that during the last four years the provincial government has made remarkable achievements in the health sector. Over 3,000 doctors have been recruited, including specialists, in the last four years.

Other developments include the operationalisation of Peshawar Institute ofCardiology, establishment of a new OPD block in Khyber Teaching Hospital, operationalisation of Allied and Surgical Block at LRH, Fountain House Peshawar, Orthopaedic and Spine Surgery Block in Hayatabad Medical Complex, upgradation of Bacha Khan Medical Complex Swabi to MTI , establishment of Accident &Emergency and Burns Unit in Bacha Khan Medical Complex and establishment ofthe Saidu College of Dentistry.

Published in Dawn, October 2nd, 2022