PESHAWAR: Announcing its plans to outsource more public sector hospitals through the Health Foundation under the public-private partnership (PPP) model, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) led Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government has sought proposals for health department by the next month.
The decision was made during a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Ali Amin Khan Gandapur and attended by senior officials, including Advisor to the Chief Minister on Health Ehtesham Ali, Additional Chief Secretary for Planning and Development Ikramullah Khan, and Secretary Health Syed Adeel Shah.
The meeting focused on expanding the Sehat Card Scheme, outsourcing hospitals in remote districts, and introducing health sector reforms.
After reviewing the financial situation of the already outsourced hospitals, the CM directed the finance department to clear outstanding payments to ensure uninterrupted healthcare services.
It was agreed in principle to streamline the process of hospital outsourcing by amending the existing legal framework and establishing a steering committee led by the CM to oversee the process.
The meeting also approved a collaborative initiative with Roche Pharmaceuticals to provide free medicines for children with hemophilia, with costs shared between the provincial government and the company.
Additionally, plans to expand the Sehat Card Scheme by including more hospitals, both public and private, were discussed. The CM stressed the importance of meeting quality standards and ensuring at least one hospital per tehsil in the Sehat Card network.
Mr Gandapur said enhancing healthcare services in remote areas remains a top priority for the provincial government, with efforts focused on strengthening basic healthcare facilities.
He said the PPP model has shown promising results and pledged further improvements to ensure quality healthcare for residents of distant regions.
Efforts are also being made to enhance service delivery mechanisms under the Sehat Card Scheme and in teaching hospitals.
The CM expressed confidence that these initiatives would bring significant improvements to the province’s healthcare sector in the near future.