Chief secretary all praise for govt-AKHS partnership in Chitral
By Zulfiqar Ahmad
ISLAMABAD: Chief Secretary Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Naveed Kamran Baloch during his visit to Chitral was all praise for the Aga Khan Health Service (AKHS) for providing basic healthcare facilities to the people at their doorsteps in remote parts of the valley under the public-private partnership programme.
Dr Zafar Ahmad, head of Community Health and Government Relations of AKHS, briefed the chief secretary that the organization had started maternal and child healthcare programme in collaboration with the government in 2004 which was extended for a period of five years in 2008.
The chief secretary was told that in 2007 a high-level committee of provincial health department headed by the additional health secretary along with a team of health sector reforms unit conducted an evaluation of the facility.
After expressing satisfaction over provision of health facilities to the people, the team asked the AKHS to sign a formal agreement with the provincial government to provide the facilities at the rural health centres.
The AKHS signed a MoU with the provincial government for a period of five years – 2008-2012. The chief secretary was told that after an evaluation, the health sector reforms unit at the end of 2012 recommended to extend the MoU for another five years – 2013 to 2019.
The chief secretary, the health secretary and other top officials of the provincial government lauded the services of AKHS in far-flung areas of the valley, where public sector hospitals had miserably failed to provide quality healthcare to people.
During the visit to Rural Health Centre (RHC) Shagram, the chief secretary lauded the services of AKHS, saying: “This is perhaps the best example of private-public partnership”.
After seeing a female doctor from Sindh performing duty in the remote village, the chief secretary said it was commendable to see doctors from different parts of the country serving people in the far-off area of Chitral.
The people of the area lauded the services of AKHS. They, however, regretted that political elements were trying to make the programme controversial for their own vested interest.
Talking to this correspondent over the phone, Abdul Qayum Baig, chairman of the local health committee, said politicians bent upon exploiting people by shedding “crocodile tears” under the pretext of “exorbitant fee” must not forget that it was people like them due to which “stray dogs, goats, sheep, cows, etc’ could be seen roaming on premises of state-run hospitals.
In an obvious reference to the politicians, Mr Baig said: “If you are man enough, why there is a shortage of doctors at DHQ Chitral and THQ Booni? Why nobody is listening to you?”
He said the lawmakers and those talking tall by enjoying perks and privileges of the government must not forget that if people were suffering it was because of them as they had failed to highlight the public issues.
“These so-called public representatives have nothing to do with the miseries of people living in this backward area, and what they want is exploitation of people for their own vested,” he lamented.
Disagree with Qayoom baig sb,our demand is to provide free treatment and medicine for the poor people’s of as pti govt announce health emergency in kp other part of chitral availing free treatment & medicine by kp govt but in the same district very poor people’s are availing very expensive treatment that is OPD chit Rs 75to 200 and normal delivery fee is Rs 25000,how can baig sb justify this is this a vision of his highness Agha khan for poor people’s?,,,if AKHS is serious in providing health facilities to poor people’s then he has to provide free health facilities for poor people’s, then we will welcome to AKHS
Whatever Mr baig said about the selfish political leaders of Chitral is hundred percent true and honest unfortunately. They don’t want to see any kind of collaboration among the Institutions for the good welfare of the public of the areas.if you see Nazim of the District enjoys all his own personal pleasure using the NGRs helicopter and on the other hand every day coming Chitral press club making free press conferences thrating these NGOs because they are not fulfilling his personal happiness, same situation with the Members of NA and KPk assemblies.when there is vote time they focus on these areas and making false promises with the people of the areas but after getting votes now both are against and speak out the developments of the Distt.so Mr Beig’s remarks are a big slap of their faces.