CHITRAL: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Health Foundation (KPHF) has issued an offer letter to a Shangla-based joint venture for outsourcing the management services of a hospital in Booni, the district headquarters of Upper Chitral, after it emerged as the highest bidder for the project.
However, sources privy to the development said the KPHF had issued the letter without taking into account a significant change in the hospital’s status.
They said the facility was classified as a Category-D hospital when the bids were evaluated on March 5, but was upgraded to Category-C a month later, in April.
The sources maintained that the contract terms should have been revised to reflect the expanded operational scope and increased budget of a Category-C facility.
DHO says matter reported to high-ups for review
They pointed out that outsourcing the hospital under the old terms would create a major imbalance, as the private management would be contractually obligated to provide only Category-D level services.
The Category-C status entitles the hospital to substantial additional resources, including nine specialists, 20 medical officers, 20 nurses, additional paramedical staff and a significantly larger budget for medicines and diagnostic equipment.
Under the existing outsourcing arrangement, the government would be required to hand over the hospital’s entire budget to the joint venture, the sources said.
When contacted, District Health Officer (DHO) Dr Fayyaz Rumi said he had formally brought the matter to the notice of senior health department officials for review.
Meanwhile, the decision sparked widespread resentment across Upper Chitral, with civil society organisations rejecting the outsourcing of the hospital’s management services.
Local activists had initially launched a hunger strike to demand withdrawal of the decision, but called it off following the recent imposition of emergency and governor’s rule in the province.
A joint platform comprising civil society organisations and representatives of all major political parties has now decided to take up the matter with the governor.
A representative delegation is being formed to meet him and apprise him of the grievances of the local community.
Local leaders said the people of Upper Chitral had long been demanding the hospital’s up-gradation to a full-fledged district headquarters (DHQ) hospital.
They expressed disappointment that instead of strengthening public healthcare facilities, the government had decided to hand over the hospital’s management to a private party under what they described as ‘flawed’ contractual terms.
Published in Dawn, October 17th, 2026
