Peshawar   -   As an important initiative to improve health emergency response to road traffic accidents in the province, eight Satellite Rescue Stations have been handed over to the provincial government under Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Reconstruction Programme (KPRP) funded by USAID.

The handing/taking over ceremony to this effect was held here at Chief Minister’s House Peshawar on Tuesday, with Chief Minister Ali Amin Khan Gandapur as the chief guest. Provincial minister for health Qasim Ali Shah, Chief Secretary Nadeem Chaudhry, administrative secretaries of concerned departments, US Consul General in Peshawar Shante Moore and other relevant authorities attended the ceremony.

On the occasion, 8 Satellite Rescue Stations and 14 Ambulances were formally handed over to the provincial government. The Satellite Rescue Stations connected with wireless equipment and other state of the art medical and technical facilities including fully functional Mini Operation Theatre, would be placed strategically throughout Khyber Pakhtunkhwa at major highways, that include: Shahbaz Khel, Lakki Marwat (Indus Highway), Speena More, Karak (Indus Highway), Charsadda and Karnal Sher Khan Interchanges at M-1 Motorway, Haripur Interchange (Hazara Motorway), Katlang Interchange (Swat Motorway), near Besham at Karakorum Highway and Lowari Tunnel at Upper Dir side (N-45 Highway.

Similarly, 4 ambulances with ventilator facilities would be provided to Saidu Group of Teaching Hospital, whereas other 10 ambulances would be provided to different districts of Malakand division including Shangla, Chitral, Lower Dir, Upper Dir, Buner and Malakand.

Addressing the ceremony, the Chief Minister lauded the efforts of USAID for improving health emergency services in the province, adding that Satellite Rescue Stations would ensure an immediate and effective response to road accidents, thereby reducing loss to precious human lives and disabilities. He said that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had been affected badly in the war against terrorism, adding that people from across the sectors have rendered huge sacrifices in the struggle against militancy in this region.

Despite difficult financial situation, the provincial government is going all out to rehabilitate the damaged infrastructure and to provide livelihood opportunities to the people of war-affected and backward areas of the province, he said. The Chief Minister maintained that providing quality healthcare facilities to the people was the top most priority of his government; and as a first step in this regard, free healthcare facilities under health card scheme had been restored for entire population of the province.

Similarly, he said that efforts are also underway to overcome deficiencies in hospitals across the province. This time, not only Khyber Pakhtunkhwa but the entire country is faced with huge financial crunches, he said and added that cooperation from our partners in all this situation is of vital importance. USAID is already supporting the provincial government in different sectors, especially in the construction and rehabilitation of damages caused by militancy and floods in the province.

“The provincial government, for the sake of the country, will play its part in a timely manner to fulfil the terms agreed with the IMF,” he said and added that it is our mission to enable the nation to stand on its feet. The incumbent provincial government is utilising all available resources in an efficient and judicious manner in this regard.

The ceremony was also addressed by Provincial Minister for Health, Qasim Ali Shah, US Counsel General in Peshawar, Shante Moore and other speakers.