PESHAWAR(Kashifuddin Syed): Serious concerns emerged during a high-level meeting about the health sector’s performance in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Dr Nausherwan Burki, who supervises health affairs in the province, expressed strong anger, stating that the briefing provided by the health department was inconsistent with reality.
Health Minister Khaliq-ur-Rehman, Health Secretary Shahidullah, and other high officials attended the meeting.
Dr Burki made it clear that the data presented by the health department does not reflect the actual situation on the ground, which is far worse than reported. He demanded an explanation for why doctors recruited on a contract basis have yet to report for duty. He also questioned why bureaucratic obstacles are being created, leading to the decline of the health system instead of its improvement. He emphasised that this issue directly affects the lives of the people, making it the government’s primary responsibility to ensure health facilities are accessible to citizens.
A detailed review contradicting the data presented revealed that a significant number of contracted doctors and specialists across the province have failed to assume their responsibilities, severely impacting the health system’s performance. Sources indicate that the Insaf Doctors Forum initially began identifying vacancies, compiling data, and analysing it, with plans for recruitment in three phases without incurring additional financial burdens. According to third-party data, not a single doctor had reported for any of the 23 specialist posts at the DHQ Hospital in Parachinar. There are 37 medical officers and 4 dental surgeons; however, only 1 specialist and 4 dental surgeons have joined duty.
In DHQ Chitral Lower, only 4 out of 23 specialists reported to work, and none of the 38 medical and dental officers assumed their positions. In the DHQ Tank, all 27 consultant posts remain unfilled. In DHQ Lakki Marwat, only 4 out of 23 consultants reported, while none of the 9 medical officers attended, and 3 out of 5 dental surgeons took charge. At the Tehsil Headquarters Hospital in Miran Ali (North Waziristan), all 6 consultant posts are vacant. The situation in DHQ South Waziristan Lower (Wana) is particularly alarming, with no doctors reporting for any of the 20 consultant, 8 medical officer, and 5 dental surgeon positions. In DHQ Karak, only 6 out of 19 consultants reported for duty, none of the 20 medical officers attended, while 2 dental surgeons took up their roles. The situation is comparatively better in DHQ Mardan, where 3 out of 4 consultants and 31 out of 33 medical officers have reported for duty.
The meeting deemed this alarming situation a serious threat to the health system, stressing the need for transparency. It called for the immediate disclosure of the actual circumstances, investigation into the reasons for the doctors’ absences, and appropriate action against those responsible to ensure that basic health facilities are provided to the public.
