CHITRAL, March 2: The institutional-based practice in the DHQ Hospital, Chitral, started functioning with the abolition of private practice by the government-employed doctors. District Naib Nazim Saleem Khan inaugurated the IBP.

Executive District Officer of Health Dr Fazle Qayyum said on the occasion that apart from the other agencies, the elected district government had also been assigned the task of monitoring the implementation of the government decision.

He expressed his pleasure that the doctors community of the district had accepted the decision wholeheartedly and there was no protest.

As a result, the practising doctors abandoned their private practice well before the deadline, he noted, and went on to add that only four qualified specialists will be allowed to practise — one each of gynaecology, eye, paediatrics and surgery.

Meanwhile, two more doctors have been specially permitted by the provincial government.