PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi on Friday said that the development of the health and education sectors in the province remained foremost priorities of his government.

“Both the health and education sectors have a direct impact on public welfare and human development outcomes,” the CM told the inaugural ceremony of a three-day Second International Conference, 2026, organised by the Khyber College of Dentistry here.

He announced establishment of a dedicated Basic Sciences block and a hostel for house officers at the institution, according to an official statement issued by his office.

The CM emphasised that the government was undertaking structured and forward looking interventions to align medical education standards with evolving global benchmarks.

He said in line with the vision of PTI founder Imran Khan, sustained investments were being directed towards strengthening health and education systems as foundational pillars of inclusive development.

“Comprehensive, multi-dimensional reforms are under way to modernise healthcare delivery systems across the province, with tangible improvements expected in the near term,” he said.

Mr Afridi said that the revamping of district headquarters hospitals had already commenced, with plans to extend similar reforms to basic health units and rural health centres in the next phase.

“These interventions are designed to rationalise patient flow, reduce pressure on tertiary care hospitals in Peshawar and significantly lower referral burdens,” he said.

On human resource development, the CM said that recruitment of 2,400 doctors was in progress, including 250 dental surgeons, while 27 dental specialists had already been inducted.

He reiterated the government’s commitment to addressing workforce gaps in the health sector on a priority basis.

Mr Afridi also announced that stipends for house officers would be enhanced in the upcoming fiscal budget to incentivise and retain young medical professionals.

While expressing concern over delays in the Khyber Institute of Child Health project, he said that the project had been delayed due to the federal government’s failure to release the required funds, describing it as discriminatory treatment.

The CM said that the issue had been formally communicated to the federal authorities and, in the absence of timely fund releases, the provincial government would proceed with bridge financing to ensure project completion.

He noted that over the last 13 years, the provincial health budget had increased from Rs30 billion to Rs275 billion, reflecting a sustained policy commitment to strengthening the sector.

Mr Afridi also expressed concern regarding the health condition of former prime minister Imran Khan, stating that he was being unjustly detained and deprived of essential medical care and basic human rights.

He complained about “serious deterioration” in Imran’s eyesight and called for his immediate access to treatment under the supervision of his personal physicians at a well-equipped medical facility as a fundamental right.

Published in Dawn, May 2nd, 2026