Latest news with #EhteshamAli
Express Tribune
22-05-2025
- Health
- Express Tribune
Lady health workers end protest after deal
Following successful negotiations with the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government, Lady Health Workers have officially ended their protest sit-in outside the K-PAssembly. Ishrat Malik, Central General Secretary of the Shaheen Union of Lady Health Workers, announced that Provincial Health Minister Ehtesham Ali took immediate notice of the protest — held during an intense heatwave - and initiated formal talks with union representatives. The LHW delegation included Akhtar Bibi (Provincial President), Ishrat Malik (General Secretary), Rafasat Qamar, Naeema Bibi, and other union officials. During the meeting, the Health Minister assured that the official minutes would be shared within two days. He also confirmed that the Health Department had finalized a promotion and regularization plan for 12,439 LHWs, structured under a four-year framework and now ready to be submitted to relevant departments. According to the plan, promotions will be granted from scale 5 up to scale 14 based on seniority and a percentage-based formula. Under this framework, 40 percent of the workers will be promoted to scale 9, another 30 percent to scale 9 under a separate criterion, 20 percent to scale 12, and the remaining 10 percent to scale 14. The Minister further assured that a summary of the plan would be sent to the Finance Department within days. He praised the critical role played by LHWs in providing healthcare in remote, conflict-affected, and snow-bound areas, emphasizing that public health operations would be unmanageable without their commitment and sacrifice. In view of the government's assurances and considering the harsh conditions faced by the protestors, Minister Ali urged the LHWs to end their sit-in and return home. Responding positively, the Shaheen Union officially called off the two-day protest and expressed appreciation for the government's responsiveness. Ishrat Malik also extended her gratitude to the media for their extensive coverage and support, which she said played a key role in drawing attention to the LHWs' demands and accelerating the negotiation process.
Express Tribune
12-03-2025
- Health
- Express Tribune
Advisor addresses faculty exam issues
Provincial Health Advisor Ehtesham Ali has taken strict notice of the mismanagement in the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Paramedical Faculty examinations and announced further tightening of the examination process. In a telephonic conversation with the Acting Chief Executive of the Paramedical Faculty, Dr. Abid Hussain, the health advisor instructed him to make the examination process more stringent. The health advisor emphasized solid steps to prevent the use of electronic devices and impersonation in the examination halls. He stated that conducting examinations in public institutions instead of private colleges for the first time is a significant achievement. Although there are initial challenges, moving examination halls from private to public institutions is no less than a challenge. On the instructions of the health advisor, Dr. Abid Hussain has issued orders to the examination staff across the province. He directed that candidates arriving more than five minutes after the start of the MCQs paper should not be allowed to enter the hall, and thorough checking of students should be ensured. He also instructed strict measures to prevent the use of mobile phones and Bluetooth devices, including thorough searches of candidates and, if necessary, deployment of police around the examination halls. The acting chief executive emphasized that any mobile phone seized during the examination would not be returned, and directed measures be taken to match the roll number photos with the candidates to prevent impersonation. He warned that legal action could be taken against staff for non-compliance with the pre-provided SOPs for the examination halls.
Express Tribune
24-02-2025
- Health
- Express Tribune
Advisor orders speedy work on kidney transplant centre
Advisor to the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Chief Minister on Health, Ehtesham Ali, has directed expedited work on the establishment of a kidney transplant center at Khyber Teaching Hospital (KTH). The provincial government has already approved Rs500 million for the project, which is a top priority. Initially, the center will focus on kidney transplants, with plans to expand services to include bone marrow and liver transplants in the future. Ali emphasized that patients from K-P currently travel to other cities for transplants, incurring significant financial burdens. However, once operational, the facility will offer free transplants under the Sehat Card program, providing immense relief to the people of the province. During a surprise visit to KTH, Ali inspected several departments, accompanied by Director General Health Services Dr. Muhammad Saleem, Additional Director General Public Health Dr. Shahid Younas, and Chief Executive of Sehat Card, Dr. Riaz Tanoli. At the Sehat Card Pharmacy, he reviewed the medicine distribution process and personally inspected the pharmacy store, ensuring the availability of high-quality, multinational-brand medicines. He praised the hospital administration for maintaining a high standard of healthcare services and medicine supply. Ali also received a briefing on Total Lab Automation, a cutting-edge step toward modernizing diagnostic services at KTH. He recommended setting up collection points in other districts to extend these state-of-the-art services across the province. At the Cath Lab, the health advisor instructed Sehat Card authorities to activate cardiac treatment facilities under the Sehat Card scheme as soon as possible, ensuring top-tier cardiac care for patients. During his visit to the Pakhtunkhwa Transplant Center, Ali was briefed by KTH Director Dr. Muhammad Zafar Afridi on the project's progress. It was revealed that the Board of Governors (BoG) had discussed the transplant center's establishment in a meeting on February 20, 2025, and the official minutes would be released soon. Ali assured that once the meeting minutes are finalized, further action will be taken immediately. He reaffirmed the government's commitment to providing modern, high-quality healthcare services and pledged that international standards of medical care would be maintained at KTH.
Express Tribune
16-02-2025
- Health
- Express Tribune
K-P releases Rs440m to settle IHP salaries
PESHAWAR: On the directives of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Health Advisor Ehtesham Ali, Rs440 million has been released to clear three months' pending salaries of over 4,500 employees of the Integrated Health Program (IHP). In his statement, the Health Advisor assured that all employees would receive their salaries before Ramazan. He instructed the relevant authorities to ensure timely transfers of payments to employees' accounts without delay. Emphasizing the need for reforms to streamline project operations, he stated that no employee's salary would be withheld. "There is no place in my team for those who cannot deliver," he asserted. Expressing concern over frequent salary delays and protests for project extensions, Ehtesham Ali directed officials to begin preparations for the upcoming budget immediately. He urged consultations with stakeholders to ensure efficient financial planning and prevent such disruptions in the future. The advisor further stated that the next Annual Development Program (ADP) would include only those schemes that enhance service delivery and benefit the public, rather than launching unnecessary new projects. Background In December 2024, The Express Tribune reported that IHP, jointly managed by the Lady Health Workers (LHWs) program and the nutrition initiative, faces severe financial constraints, hindering its effectiveness. Official sources said that both programs have fallen short of their targets due to insufficient funding. Approximately 4,000 IHP employees have gone without salaries for the past five months, receiving payment only once during this period, according to a health department official. Introduced in 2014 across all four provinces, the IHP underwent challenges after the 18th amendment, requiring individual provinces to create their PC-1 plans. The previous government's Rs7.5 billion PC-1, developed by consultants from Punjab without a baseline survey, displayed numerous shortcomings, including the delayed recruitment of Lady Health Workers and trained community midwives over four years. Despite completing their two-year training, these midwives remain unutilized, incurring significant costs to the health department, supported by international donor organizations. Additionally, LHWs and CMWs lack access to government-provided medicines. The IHP's primary goal is to reduce maternal deaths during childbirth from 165 per 1,000 to 40. Stabilization centers face similar challenges, with no available food supplements despite the declared nutrition emergency in the province. Only Unicef is currently providing food supplements to select districts, while the government struggles to recruit nutrition specialists and purchase food supplements due to financial constraints. Targets for underweight childbirths have been substantially missed, raising concerns about the project's overall efficacy.
Express Tribune
30-01-2025
- Health
- Express Tribune
Peshawar reports second Mpox case
Health authorities in Peshawar have confirmed the second case of the Mpox virus this year. The infection was detected in a five-month-old girl who arrived at Bacha Khan International Airport from Qatar, marking the latest development in Pakistan's ongoing efforts to monitor the disease. Attaullah Khan, spokesperson for the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister and Health Adviser Ehtesham Ali, confirmed that the infant tested positive for Mpox after landing with her parents. As a precautionary measure, the health department has initiated testing on the child's parents. On January 26, Pakistan reported its first Mpox case of 2025, identified during routine screening by Border Health Services staff at Bacha Khan International Airport in Peshawar. According to a Ministry of Health spokesperson, the suspected case tested positive, bringing the total number of Mpox cases in Pakistan to 10 since the health emergency was declared, Express News reported. The patient reportedly had a travel history linked to Gulf countries. Health Coordinator Dr. Mukhtar Bharth stated, "We are ensuring effective measures to protect the public from Mpox. All airports have robust screening systems in place, and compliance with International Health Regulations is being ensured. Both federal and provincial governments are committed to combating Mpox." Meanwhile, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Health Adviser Ehtesham Ali confirmed that the first Mpox case of 2025 was reported at Peshawar Airport. Upon detection, the Public Health team immediately reached the airport. He further added, "The Public Health team transferred the patient to Police Services Hospital, from where the patient's samples were sent to the Public Health Reference Lab. Mpox was confirmed in a 35-year-old individual who arrived from Dubai." The Provincial Health Adviser also mentioned that a letter has been sent to the Peshawar Airport Manager requesting passenger details of those who were in proximity to the patient. "Once passenger information is received, respective District Health Officers (DHOs) will be notified for contact tracing," he added. The statement revealed that a total of 10 Mpox cases have been reported in the province so fartwo in 2023, seven in 2024, and the first case of 2025. Authorities have urged the public to practise social distancing and remain vigilant. Last year, the health ministry confirmed Pakistan's eighth Mpox case of 2024, involving a 32-year-old patient who had recently returned from the Gulf. The patient was isolated and is receiving treatment, according to Health Ministry spokesperson Sajid Shah. "He is experiencing mild symptoms and is expected to recover soon."
