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Express Tribune
12-05-2025
- Health
- Express Tribune
Teams to monitor health centres in Balochistan
On the directives of Balochistan Health Minister Bakht Muhammad Kakar, the health department has formed special teams comprising senior officials to monitor healthcare centers across the province from May 12 to May 22. According to a press statement released by the department's spokesperson on Sunday, the objective of this initiative is to assess the performance and facilities of district hospitals, Basic Health Units (BHUs), and Rural Health Centers (RHCs) to ensure the public receives improved medical services. A notification approved by Secretary Health Mujeebur Rehman outlines the formation of over 30 officers into six teams. Each team includes program coordinators, deputy directors, and other senior officials. The teams have been instructed to conduct thorough inspections in each district, covering the district headquarters hospital, at least one RHC, and two BHUs. The teams are also tasked with evaluating the implementation and performance of various health programs, coordinating closely with local health officials, and submitting detailed reports. Each team will brief the respective Deputy Commissioner and submit its findings to the Chief Planning Officer's office. This monitoring mission is part of the Health Minister's 'Inspection Program for Improving Healthcare Facilities' initiative, aimed at providing quality Healthcare.
Express Tribune
26-04-2025
- Health
- Express Tribune
Patients suffer as medics' strike drags on
The ongoing protest cum strike of young doctors, nurses and paramedical staff against the privatisation of all major government hospitals and medium and small health facilities entered into seventh consecutive day on Friday, paralysing the healthcare system at the cost of patients across the Rawalpindi district. Due to an 'extreme financial crisis', all major government hospitals, Basic Health Units (BHUs), and Rural Health Centres (RHCs) face imminent privatisation. With Outpatient Departments (OPDs) and ward services completely shut down, the healthcare system across the district has become entirely paralysed. Three of Rawalpindi's oldest and largest public hospitalsHoly Family Hospital, Benazir Bhutto General Hospital, and District Headquarters Hospitalhave reportedly been listed for potential sale. With OPDs and ward services suspended, many citizens have begun transferring their patients from public to private hospitals. The number of patients in government hospital wards has drastically declined, and OPDs are nearly empty. Senior doctors, including professors and department heads, have tacitly expressed full support for the Young Doctors Association (YDA)-led strike and are silently facilitating it. Even doctors, professors, nurses, and paramedics aligned with the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) have rejected the Punjab Chief Minister's policy to privatise public hospitals, labelling it anti-patient. The Punjab government, health department, and district administration have completely failed to bring the strike to an end. Doctors, nurses, and paramedics have declared that they will not call off the strike until the government officially cancels the privatisation of hospitals, BHUs, and RHCs. Emergency services remain open, and healthcare professionals are fulfilling their duties there. On Friday, a complete strike continued at all major hospitals in Rawalpindi, including the Tehsil Headquarters Hospitals (THQs) across the district. The YDA also led protests and a boycott at allied hospitals under the provincial government in Rawalpindi. Doctors, nurses, and paramedics participated in the demonstrations, criticising the government's health policy. Protesters held placards and banners with slogans opposing the privatisation of public hospitals and primary health centres. In protest, doctors boycotted OPDs and ward services and took to the streets. This caused significant difficulty for patients at state hospitals. Attempts by hospital administrations to convince the YDA to end the boycott proved unsuccessful. Dr Arif Aziz, the president of the YDA at Benazir Bhutto Hospital, said that emergency and indoor services at the three hospitals are still operational, but the government must reverse its decision on hospital privatisation. He warned that if demands are not met, the boycott could expand to other departments. A citizen, Haji Nasir Fayyaz, who was seen taking his hospitalised son home from Benazir Bhutto Hospital, said, "My son was admitted for days, but no doctor or nurse came to check on him. I'm left with no choice but to discharge him and take him to a private hospital."
Express Tribune
12-03-2025
- Health
- Express Tribune
Punjab mulls outsourcing more health centres
Authorities have decided to outsource the Basic Health Units (BHUs) and Rural Health Centres (RHCs) in all 37 districts of Punjab, including the Rawalpindi district, under the status of Maryam Nawaz Health Clinics (MNHC), retain current regular staff of these centres at other government hospitals, regularise non-regular staff, and terminate the employment of staff working on specific health projects once the projects are completed. A meeting of the Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of all District Health Authorities (DHAs) across the province, chaired by the Secretary of Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department Punjab, decided that the outsourcing process for BHUs and RHCs under each DHA would continue. These centres will be outsourced based on upgraded healthcare facilities and designated as MNHCs. The centres that are being revamped will have their regular staff retained, and they will be deployed at other government hospitals upon the recruitment of new staff. The process of regularising the employment of non-regular staff will continue. Moreover, the employment of those hired for specific health projects will be terminated upon the completion of the respective projects. Dr Asif Arbab Niazi, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Rawalpindi DHA, says that in the first phase, seven BHUs and RHCs in the Rawalpindi district have already been outsourced and designated as MNHCs, while in the second phase, 20 more BHUs will be outsourced and upgraded to the status of MNHCs. Before outsourcing, the building of each BHU and RHC will undergo revamping. After the first and second phases, 27 more centres will be converted into MNHCs, he added. In the third phase, the remaining 71 health centres will undergo revamping, and these, too, will be outsourced and designated as MNHCs. As a result, 98 Maryam Nawaz Health Clinics across the district will provide free and quality healthcare services to the public. The administration managing MNHCs, including the financial and operational systems, will submit their claims for costs to the Punjab government in exchange for providing free healthcare services. Dr Niazi further explained that with the establishment of 98 MNHCs across the district, people will no longer need to visit larger hospitals in the cities for treatment.
