SWABI: All major public sector hospitals in Swabi will start operating five days a week instead of six starting today (Monday), official sources say.

This marks the first time in the history of the province’s health services that such a measure has been implemented by the provincial government.

Earlier, the Bacha Khan Teaching Hospital Shahmansoor, Tehsil Headquarters Hospital Topi, Chota Lahor and Razaar have been converted into Medical Teaching Institutions (MTIs) by Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s government.

Sources in the district health department said that over 2,000 patients daily visit the Bacha Khan Hospital OPD and this number is increasing with the passage of time and similarly the THQ hospitals are also visited by a large number of patients.

OPD timing extended up to 4:30pm

A notification in this regard said that in pursuance of MTI Regulation item No. 23, and in the light of the directions conveyed by the chairman policy board, MTI Khyber Pakhtunkhwa through a letter on March 30 as well as the decision taken by the board of governors, MTI Swabi, in its meeting held on March 20 notified the new timings for strict compliance by all clinical / non-clinical / support services staff of Bacha Khan Teaching Hospital with effect from Monday (April 27) until further orders.

Furthermore, shift duties shall remain unchanged and will continue as notified by the respective competent authorities. OPD, elective and administrative services shall remain closed on Saturdays and Sundays, however, emergency services shall continue to operate round-the-clock.

The OPD timings have been extended until 4:30pm during the five working days. However, leaders of various political parties told Dawn that the main concern is that senior doctors are unlikely to remain on duty until that time.

They also argued that patients may be reluctant to visit OPDs in the afternoon, raising questions about the future of institute-based practices that continue to operate within hospital premises.

Reacting to the decision, leaders of various political parties said that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government had weakened public institutions, arguing that health facilities should be expanded rather than reduced.

“The sitting of senior doctors till 4.30 could never ever be insured by the PTI’s government,” said Asifur Rehman, district president of Awami National Party.

Maulana Fazal Ali, central naib-head of Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazal said: “PTI leadership and their wrong policies and priorities had culminated in destroying public sector institutions.”

When contacted, officials in Bacha Khan Hospital termed the new timing the policy “unrealistic”.

Published in Dawn, April 27th, 2026