Decision to start air ambulance service in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

Peshawar: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has taken a principled decision to start air ambulance service for the convenience of patients from remote areas of the province and to transport people to major hospitals in any emergency.

The concerned authorities were directed to take necessary steps to start this service practically in the next four months for which all available resources will be utilised.

Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Ali Amin Gandapur chaired the meeting of the Health Department. Apart from Provincial Minister for Health Syed Qasim Ali Shah, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Amjad Ali Khan, Secretary Health Mahmood Aslam, Director General Health Services Dr. Shaukat, Chief Executive Officer Health Card Plus Dr. Riaz Tanoli and other officials of the health department attended the meeting. .

In the meeting, it has been decided to establish motorbike response units for densely populated areas of the province, these response units will work as first aid services for providing timely first aid in emergency situations in densely populated areas while the above mentioned The units will be equipped with medical equipment and essential medicines.

It has also been decided to declare the Hayatabad area of ​​Peshawar as a Healthcare City. The purpose of declaring the Health City is to provide all modern medical facilities to domestic and foreign patients at one place.

In addition, it has been decided to establish a Health Information and Service Delivery Unit to enhance the efficiency of government hospitals in the province and to monitor and improve health service delivery.

Similarly, it has been decided to start an executive health check-up program for senior citizens in major government hospitals of the province, under which citizens above 65 years of age will be checked up free of charge every three months. Therefore, a separate disk and staff will be allocated in the above mentioned government hospitals of the province. The free check-up for senior citizens will also include lab tests, CT scan, MRI, X-ray, echo and ECG etc.

In the meeting, the Chief Minister directed to take special measures to stabilize the primary health care system of the province and said that primary health centers and rural health centers should be classified and ultrasound, operation theater and gynecology services should be provided in these centers. Supply should be ensured. He directed that the availability of doctors, nurses and other paramedical staff in these health centers should be ensured at all times so that the citizens do not face any kind of difficulty.

Ali Amin Gandapur has further directed that all the tehsil headquarters hospitals of the province should be upgraded and included in the health card panel. He clarified that all the district headquarters hospitals across the province should be made state of the art and provision of quality treatment facilities should be ensured in these hospitals. The provincial government will provide the funds required for this purpose on a priority basis.

The Chief Minister has directed the officials of the health department to establish fair price pharmacies in all the teaching and district headquarters hospitals of the province as soon as possible. He further directed that the complete data of the staff and medical equipment required for the stabilization of government hospitals should be collected so that the funds required for this purpose can be allocated in the upcoming budget.

Ali Amin Gandapur also directed that a new health policy should be formulated in one month to develop the health sector in the province on modern lines. Equal duties should be imposed on all the staff in government hospitals and no one should be abused or favored in this regard. A central grievance cell should be established in the health department to redress the legitimate complaints of the staff related to duties.

Apart from this, the Chief Minister has directed the health department authorities to allocate separate places for sitting and sleeping of the attendants of the patients in the government hospitals while arranging beds in the sleeping areas of the attendants. It should be ensured that no patient sleeps in the open space or corridor of the hospital.

Ali Amin Gandapur has directed to suggest necessary amendments in the relevant laws to improve the system of autonomous teaching hospitals of the province and said that professional people should be appointed on the boards of teaching hospitals on the basis of merit.

The Chief Minister has expressed his dissatisfaction with the overall performance of the District Health Offices and has directed to review the existing system of the District Health Offices and make suggestions for its improvement.