PESHAWAR: Postgraduate Paramedical Institute principal Dr Shaheen Afridi is set to assume the charge of the director-general (health services) in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa after the retirement of the incumbent, Dr Shahid Yunis, today (Sunday).
Dr Afridi is the health department’s second BPS-20 administrative cadre employee to be appointed as the DG (health) for the second time.
She held the position in March but was replaced afterward. The summary for her posting to the key health department office has already been approved by the chief minister.
In the past, Dr Sajid Shaheen served on the post twice. All other DG (health) retired as they’re appointed to the post towards the last few months of their service.
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Dr Afridi is the second woman management cadre doctor in the province to hold the position. Dr Shabina Raza, currently the country director of Canadian NGO Nutrition International, was appointed the director general (health) in 2017.
Dr Afridi, a 1988 graduate of Khyber Medical College, has played a vital role in containing Covid-19 during the 2020 pandemic in the province.
Known as a senior public health professional, she is presently principal postgraduate Paramedical Institute. She has won appreciation for the response to Covid-19 by the World Health Organisation and other international organisations.
As per rules, the DG health is appointed from amongst the top 10 BPS-20 administrative cadre doctors having additional qualification in health administration. Doctors once reaching this position usually have few months of service left. However, track records like competency and integrity are also important. Most of those appointed to the post have few months to serve.
Presently, there are 33 BPS-20 doctors in the health department and most of them will reach the age of superannuation in the next few months. While the next batch of BPS-20 doctors have several years to serve the department.
However, official sources told Dawn that after the retirement of Dr Afridi in July next year, those having several years left in the service would not be able to serve more than two years in a row as the government rules allowed only two years to hold the position.
Officials said that most DGs retired from the office but a few were later posted to lower positions that didn’t commensurate with their experiences.
They said few DGs were posted as the director-general to the Provincial Health Services Academy, which was affiliated to the health department.
The officials, however, insisted that it was an independent post but wasn’t considered appropriate for a person having already served as DG health.
They said Dr Shahid Yunis, who would formally relinquish the DG’s office on Monday after retirement on Sunday, played a vital role during his 30-year service.
According to officials, Dr Yunis led the formulation of the first provincial health policy and coordinated with donors, negotiated technical and financial assistance with development partners and management of the technical assistance provided by partners and UN agencies. He was instrumental in major health sector reforms like social health protection initiative, hospital autonomy, improving quality of care through establishment of healthcare commission and Health Foundation to foster public private partnership for improved, efficient and quality service delivery.
The officials said Dr Yunis’s leadership role during floods earned him widespread accolades as there was no outbreak of diseases in the worst-hit districts.
Published in Dawn, November 30th, 2025