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.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Express Tribune
a day ago
- Express Tribune
Punjab takes over long-stalled hospital project
Following years of federal inaction, the Punjab government is set to revive the long-abandoned Rawalpindi Mother and Child Hospital project under its Annual Development Programme (ADP). The revised plan envisions the completion of the facility as a state-of-the-art Children's Hospital, with the project's cost now escalated to Rs9 billion. PHOTO: EXPRESS The long-delayed Rawalpindi Mother and Child Hospital project — under construction for the past 22 years and with its cost rising from Rs1.5 billion to Rs9b billion — has now been transferred from the federal to the Punjab government, which will construct a Children's Hospital instead. The status of the project has been revised, and it has been decided to complete the unfinished building and establish a Children's Hospital instead. The Punjab government has issued a notification to include the project in its Annual Development Programme (ADP) and to prepare a new PC-1 for its execution. The foundation stone of the hospital was laid by two former Prime Ministers, Shaukat Aziz and Imran Khan. In addition, the former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Justice Saqib Nisar visited the site just 23 days before the 2018 general elections and announced that the project would be completed under the supervision of a special cell of the Supreme Court. According to the notification issued on June 16 by the Secretary, Specialised Healthcare and Medical Education Department, Punjab, Dr Hina Sattar, Head of Paediatrics at Rawalpindi Medical University, has been appointed as Project Director for the establishment of the Children's Hospital under the ADP. She will coordinate with Assistant Professor Dr Masood Sadiq, the Vice Chancellor of the University of Child Health Sciences, Lahore, to prepare a revised PC-1 for the project. It is worth noting that former federal Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed had facilitated the foundation-laying of a 200-bed Mother and Child Hospital by then Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz during the federal government formed after the 2002 elections. At the time, the total estimated cost of the project was Rs1.5b. However, the project remained incomplete during the five-year tenure of that government. While the main structure was constructed, critical work, including finishing, renovation, machinery installation, and recruitment of human resources, was never completed. From 2008 to 2017, the project remained abandoned. Then, on July 1, 2018 — just 23 days before the general elections — then Chief Justice Saqib Nisar, along with Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, visited the site and announced that the SC's special cell would now oversee the project's completion. Later, after the PTI came to power following the 2018 elections, then Prime Minister Imran Khan visited the site once again and reiterated the promise to complete the hospital. Despite significant progress during PTI's three-and-a-half-year tenure, the project still could not be completed. The construction eventually halted, and the partially built structure began to deteriorate due to weather and neglect. Now, the project — previously under federal jurisdiction — has officially been handed over to the Punjab government, which will provide the funding and complete the project as a Children's Hospital under a new PC-1.
Express Tribune
a day ago
- Express Tribune
Congo virus claims three lives in K-P
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Health Adviser Ehtesham Ali has confirmed that three individuals have died from the Congo virus so far in the province, while one patient currently undergoing treatment at the hospital has tested positive. Additionally, six suspected patients are admitted and are undergoing diagnostic procedures. He expressed deep sorrow over the loss of precious lives due to the Congo virus at Hayatabad Medical Complex. According to the adviser, two of the deceased patients - both from Karak district - succumbed to the virus last night, while a third, hailing from North Waziristan, passed away on June 16. He attributed the recent outbreak to the lack of precautionary measures during Eid celebrations as animal markets had been established across the province. Ehtesham Ali appealed to the public to strictly follow the health department's guidelines for Congo virus prevention and to exercise caution when handling livestock to avert further loss of life. He further informed that the Department of Health has activated its Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response (IDSR) system to monitor and respond to Congo virus cases promptly. District Health Officers (DHOs) in the affected areas have been notified, and contact tracing along with sanitization efforts are underway at the homes of the deceased to prevent the virus from spreading. It may be recalled that last week, two patients affected by the Congo virus were admitted to HMC in Peshawar with their condition reported to be out of danger initially. According to the hospital spokesperson, 28-year-old Aijaz from Karak was brought to the hospital in critical condition on June 14. Another 23-year-old patient, Safiyan, also from Karak, was admitted on June 15. After receiving medical treatment, both patients are now stable and no longer in critical condition, he claimed. The spokesperson added that both affected individuals work in animal care. In April, Pakistan's National Institute of Health (NIH) issued public health advisories regarding the risks of Crimean-Congo Haemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) .
Express Tribune
12-06-2025
- Express Tribune
K-P to unveil Rs21b health outlay
The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government has proposed an allocation of over Rs21.31 billion for the health sector in the upcoming Annual Development Program (ADP) for the fiscal year 2025-26. According to official documents, Rs16.66 billion has been earmarked for ongoing health projects, while Rs4.65 billion is proposed for new development schemes in the health sector. For settled districts, Rs13.5 billion has been proposed, while Rs3.48 billion is allocated for health projects in the merged districts. Additionally, Rs4.67 billion is proposed under the Accelerated Implementation Program (AIP) aimed at fast-tracking healthcare improvements in underdeveloped areas. Key initiatives likely to be included in the new budget are the enhancement of dialysis services in designated hospitals, upgrades to ICU, HDU, and emergency services, and the installation of centralized oxygen-generating plants in hospitals across the merged districts. A new initiative for hemophilia patients is also planned, wherein 50 per cent of treatment costs will be covered by the government and the remaining 50 per cent by non-governmental organisations (NGOs). For the first time, a diabetes control program targeting young children is being introduced in the development budget. Furthermore, a performance-based payment scheme for human resource hiring in the health sector has also been proposed. The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government is set to present a Rs2,000 billion budget on Friday, with over Rs1,800 billion allocated for current expenditures. The budget will show a surplus of Rs180 billion and will not introduce any new taxes. However, the scope and rate of existing taxes will be expanded. A total of Rs433 billion has been earmarked for development projects, including funds for the development of the newly merged tribal districts. The government will also announce the imposition of an "education emergency" in the new fiscal year. Under this initiative, furniture will be provided to 100 per cent of public schools. To boost its own revenues, the province has set a 40 per cent higher target for provincial tax collection compared to the current fiscal year. The new budget includes the establishment of four additional cardiac centers in addition to the existing ones, as well as special funds for the merged districts. Measures to support the province's vulnerable, marginalized, and low-income populations are also part of the budget. Funding has been allocated for key infrastructure and welfare projects including the Peshawar-DI Khan Motorway, a new electricity transmission line, the establishment of an insurance company, and the Chashma Right Bank Canal. Safe City projects in Peshawar, Bannu, and DI Khan will receive financial support, and the education budget is being increased by 13 per cent. The monthly honorarium for artists will also be raised from Rs100,000 to Rs150,000. A significant portion of the development budget will focus on completing ongoing projects. Priority will be given to projects that are 80 per cent or more complete, followed by those with 60 per cent completion. The number of new development projects has been capped at 500, with Rs195 billion to be immediately released, and up to Rs250 billion allocated as needed. For the first time, a special committee will be formed to approve projects based on priority and necessity. The budget will continue to prioritize the education, health, and social welfare sectors. Additionally, the 13-year throw-forward period for the Annual Development Program (ADP) will be reduced to seven years. A safari park is also planned for Misri Banda in Nowshera as part of the new fiscal year's initiatives.
