Peshawar - Caretaker Chief Minister Khyber pakhtunkhwa azam Khan has directed the provincial health Department to ensure strict implementation of the proposed dengue action plan to prevent a dengue virus outbreak during the current season, adding that all relevant departments and entities must fulfil their responsibilities effectively for the purpose. he also directed them to take concrete steps to combat Leishmania and other infectious diseases. he urged the relevant authorities to pay special attention to improving service delivery in the health sector in the merged areas to ensure the provision of healthcare facilities at their doorstep. similarly, the Chief Minister directed pragmatic steps to improve service delivery in the health services delivery outlets of the settled districts’ peripheries, intending to ensure treatment facilities for people at the local level and reduce patient flow to tertiary healthcare facilities. he presided over a health department meeting here the other day.
The chair was briefed in detail on the health department’s institutional reforms, administrative affairs, development project implementation, the status of available funds, and other related matters. The meeting was attended by Dr abid Jameel, advisor to the Chief Minister for health, Chief secretary Imdadullah Bosal, principal secretary to the CM, administrative secretaries of health, and other relevant departments.
The Caretaker Chief Minister designated health as a priority sector for his administration and directed the finance department to ensure the timely provision of funds for the purchase of emergency medicines and other essential hospital purchases. he also directed them to ensure the timely completion of projects in the health sector that was due for completion, adding that the necessary funds should be provided on a priority basis for the purpose. he also directed the concerned parties to complete the ongoing investigation into payments to hospitals participating in the public-private partnership, emphasising that the process should not disrupt service delivery in those hospitals and that patients should not be inconvenienced.
The sehat Card programme and Medical Teaching Institutions were also discussed during the meeting, but it was decided that a separate meeting would be held to further streamline MTIs and the sehat Card scheme. The Chief Minister described the sehat Card program as a good public welfare initiative and stated that the entire healthcare process would be made transparent and more effective so that the maximum benefits of this programme could reach the people. azam Khan stated unequivocally that all decisions in this regard would be made solely based on merit and in the best public interest, with no room for political consideration. he stated that the caretaker government is completely impartial and that all of its decisions will be centred on public welfare.
