PESHAWAR, Feb 16: NWFP Health Minister Inayatullah Khan said on Thursday that the provincial government was planning to make an unprecedented increase in the health budget next year and would offer free medical service at district level.

He was speaking at a certificate distribution ceremony of the Razi Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) at Nishtar Hall on Thursday.

The minister said the government considered expenditure on health sector as an investment. Therefore, the developmental budget of the health sector had been increased many times, he added.

Referring to the importance of paramedics, he said they were the backbone of the health sector and provided services where doctors were not available.

He said the government was taking steps to provide equal opportunities of promotion to all cadres of the health sector.

Seats for women medical technicians, he said, would be allocated in all public sectors paramedics training institutes of the province next year.

Mr Khan said that after the announcement of service structure for paramedics, responsibilities of paramedic institutes had been increased many times. He directed the institutes to improve facilities according to the modern age.

Appreciating quality services being provided by the Razi Institute in the development of human resources in the health sector, the minister said the government was giving due importance to private sector institutions.

Referring to the problems faced by the institute, the minister directed the authorities concerned to cooperate with the institution in launching new faculties and starting courses for LHVs and women medical technicians.

He assured reconsideration of policy for provision of training facilities to the students of private paramedics institutes in public hospitals.

The minister also held out assurance to consider possibilities for establishing a separate examination board for paramedics institutes and to file summary before the cabinet for bringing paramedical diploma equal to FSc.

On the occasion, he announced inclusion of private paramedics institution in the board of governors of the medical faculty and ordered an immediate meeting of the board.

The minister announced a donation of Rs20,000 for the Al-khidmat Society.

Later, he distributed certificates among the graduated paramedics.

Earlier speaking on the occasion, Institute Director Dr Muhammad Iqbal Khalil highlighted the services of the institution and demanded facilities for the institution.