KP health sector reform prioritised under Governance Roadmap: Chief Secretary

PESHAWAR
Chief Secretary Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Shahab Ali Shah on Thursday chaired a high-level meeting to review the Health Department’s Good Governance Roadmap, declaring the health sector a top priority for governance reform and public service delivery.
During the meeting, a detailed presentation outlined the department’s roadmap initiatives aimed at strengthening healthcare services at all tiers of the health system.
A roll-out conference for governance roadmap is planned in the coming days to engage all stakeholders and ensure province-wide implementation of the roadmap.
One of the flagship interventions includes expanding 24/7 Basic Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care (BEmONC) services to 250 Primary Healthcare (PHC) facilities.
To enhance service delivery at PHC level, the roadmap mandates full availability of essential medicines and 100% functionality of infrastructure and biomedical equipment.
The Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI) will be reinforced, and polio eradication efforts will be integrated into routine outreach services.
Family Planning commodities will be procured via the Population Welfare Department and made available in 100% of PHC facilities.
Tertiary healthcare services will be upgraded through the establishment of Level-3 Trauma Centers and provision of Mammography services at regional District Headquarters Hospitals (DHQs).
Neonatal care capacity will be strengthened by setting up 10 Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs) and newborn nurseries across DHQs.
A legal framework is being developed for structured postgraduate medical and dental education with a focus on deploying trained professionals to PHC facilities.
The Health Department will fully implement a Human Resource Management Information System (HRMIS), ensuring coverage of all staff and enabling data-driven workforce decisions.
The roadmap targets 90% occupancy of managerial positions on a regular charge basis and biometric verification to ensure maximum attendance of doctors, midwives, and paramedics at primary and secondary healthcare facilities.
To digitize governance and clinical oversight, the KP-Health Information and Service Delivery Unit will be established across the province.
Monitoring capacity will be enhanced through the expansion of Independent Monitoring Unit (IMU) staff to merged districts.
The KP Health Sector Policy 2018 will be revised following extensive stakeholder consultations.
The Health Sector Reform Unit (HSRU) will be restructured to enhance technical capacity and achieve full operationalization.
The Health Care Commission will be revitalized through legal reforms and capacity building in licensing, certification, and facility accreditation.
The Health Foundation will be strengthened to support Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) and improve health contract management systems.
Policy guidelines will be developed to institutionalize oversight and performance accountability mechanisms in Medical Teaching Institutions (MTIs).
A major transition will shift management of 54 Category-D hospitals to the private sector through PPPs, along with outsourcing of 20 additional DHQs and THQs.
Uninterrupted insulin supply will be ensured through the provincial Diabetes Control Program.
Chief Secretary Shahab Ali Shah emphasized that these reforms will strengthen healthcare delivery at the grassroot level and deliver long-term benefits to communities across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.