Chitral Times Report
PESHAWAR: Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Pervez Khattak said that the collective efforts at all tiers of health governance led to the near accomplishment of a heavy task for the total eradication of polio from the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Pervez Khattak said that the collective efforts at all tiers of health governance led to the near accomplishment of a heavy task for the total eradication of polio from the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
He was addressing the certificates distribution ceremony amongst the polio workers to mark the International Polio Day here at Chief Minister House Peshawar. Secretary Health Abid Majeed, representatives of different institutions and polio workers attended the ceremony. The Chief Minister distributed certificates amongst the polio workers for their proactive role in the drive against polio in the province.
Chief Minister said his government made tireless efforts to secure our coming generation, making our kids healthy and ensuring the province polio free adding that in 2014, the province registered 68 polio cases but in the current year only a single case of polio emerged that was a big achievement, he added. He appreciated the role of polio workers adding that his government ensured free health care for the critical diseases in the province and introduced sehat Insaf cards for free health care to the poor segment of society. He talked about the health reforms giving autonomy to the hospitals, ensuring proper monitoring system, provision of latest equipments and overcoming the doctors and paramedics deficiencies in all public sector institutions throughout the province.
Pervez Khattak said his government doubled the strength of the doctors within a short span of four years and now doctors are available everywhere in the healthcare units throughout the province. When he took over, there were 3500 doctors and now the strength of the doctors reached 7500. He assured that the recruitment of doctors and other staff would continue and would be completed soon. He reminded that when the polio outburst took place affecting the kids in the tribal areas and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, it became a challenge, therefore, provincial government decided to go all out for eradication of polio. He recounted the steps of his government including the establishment of emergency operation centres at provincial level for the polio eradication in the province. In 2017, the single polio case registered did not affect the kid because the team reached him.
Chief Minister said that nations suffer because of calamities but they show their resilience and stand up again. Our nation had sacrifices and proved their resilience. Our nation had all the potentials of a living nation. His government led the people from the front. It gave leadership, understood the problems and determined its responsibilities and then established a system for efficient delivery, he remarked.
Pervez Khattak talked about reforms in health sector that included autonomy to the tertiary healthcare hospitals for the first time in the history of the province. It was a challenge and all the previous governments failed to take it but his government introduced MTI Act 2015 enabling the tertiary healthcare centres to manage their own resources, ensure their efficient human resources, find solution to their own problems and make their own decisions adding his government also enhanced the salaries of the doctors and other professional staff. The doctors salaries were enhanced from Rs. 45000/- to Rs. 1,50,000/- and introduced free emergency services in all teachings and district headquarters hospitals. His government recruited 393 District Specialists, 109 Dental Surgeons, 875 adhoc Nurses, 2850 Lady Health Workers, 750 Community Midwives, 1088 PHC Technicians, 2633 Medical Officers and other allied staff. Professional allowance was given to paramedics and nurses and a two steps promotion to 12187 paramedics was given. His government created 22000 new posts and ensured efficient monitoring and availability of all equipments including the establishment of insulin banks, healthcare act, organ transplantation authority, health foundation act and mother-child health cover throughout the province.
Pervez Khattak said that previously his government distributed 14 lacs sehat Insaf cards for the healthcare to the poor segment of the society upto 5 lac 50 thousand. This year his government would distribute additional ten lac cards that would cover 70% of the total population of the province to have free healthcare both in public and private sectors. He called upon the concerned officials to work hard and ensure that the people have an easy access to efficient healthcare. He stressed on the prevention and raising the awareness of the people against polio in order to get our targets for the polio eradication. He assured all out efforts in the fight against the polio in the province.
