QUETTA: Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti has said that providing basic, quality and accessible healthcare to the people of the province is among the government’s top priorities, with special focus on the health of mothers, girls and children.

Speaking at the inaugural ceremony of the Essential Package of Health Services, Balochistan, on Tuesday evening, the chief minister said the provincial government was using all available resources to improve the healthcare system and bring medical services closer to people, particularly those living in remote and underserved areas.

He expressed satisfaction with the performance of the health department, highlighting availability of public health services as a key component of government’s policy.

He said 164 basic health units had been made functional across the province to ensure that people in distant and underdeveloped areas could access essential healthcare facilities near their homes.

The chief minister particularly appreciated the efforts of Dr Bari to make a hospital functional in a remote area of Dera Bugti, describing it as an example of how determination and hard work could help provide essential services despite limited resources.

He said the hospital had witnessed its first-ever childbirth, with the newborn boy named Bakht Muhammad.

Health Minister Bakht Muhammad Kakar earlier, addressing the seminar highlighted the government’s ongoing initiatives.

Chief Minister’s Adviser for Women Development Dr Rubaba Khan Buledi, Opposition Leader Mir Younas Aziz Zehri, senior Health Department officials and other relevant personalities attended the ceremony.

Published in Dawn, September 2nd, 2026