PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has decided to outsource the management of 24 underperforming hospitals across 18 districts to the private sector.

The initiative, announced by the health adviser, Ihtisham Ali, aims to improve service delivery while maintaining free treatment under government protocols, according to a statement issued here on Thursday.

Speaking to the media, Ihtisham Ali clarified that the hospitals being outsourced fall under category B, C, and D and has consistently shown poor performance. “We are not privatising these hospitals,” he emphasised. “We are simply handing over their management to private entities to ensure better efficiency and accountability.”

The adviser addressed the concerns surrounding the outsourcing move, stating that the objective is to provide quality healthcare at the government expense. Patients will continue to receive free treatment at official rates, and existing government staff will retain its roles and responsibilities.

Under the new model, private companies will be responsible for addressing shortages of medical staff, equipment, and other essential services. The health adviser noted that this would help resolve long-standing issues such as delays in OPD services, staff absenteeism, poor sanitation, and malfunctioning medical equipment.

To ensure transparency and performance, the independent monitoring unit (IMU) of the health department will oversee the operations of these outsourced facilities. The companies failing to meet standards will face financial penalties, and a robust complaint redressal mechanism will be put in place for patients.

He also hinted at expanding the outsourcing initiative to more hospitals in the next phase, as part of the government’s broader strategy to revamp public healthcare across the province.

Published in Dawn, September 12th, 2025