Upgrading health infrastructure in rural areas: meeting nods implementation of comprehensive package

The district administration has finally given approval to upgrade the health infrastructure in rural Islamabad and increase the emoluments and incentives for the medical staff working in the health centres and units of the rural areas.
District Health Department Islamabad has prepared a comprehensive health package for the rural areas of Islamabad for providing better health care services to the people of rural areas of Islamabad, and necessary approval will be sought soon to implement the revamping plan.
In this regard, an important meeting was held under the chairmanship of Deputy Commissioner Islamabad Amer Ali Ahmed on Thursday, which reviewed the existing health facilities in the rural areas of Islamabad and decided to revamp the health facilities, including the up-gradation of three Rural Health Centres and providing better health care facilities to the rural population at 14 Basic Health Units.
A news feature by APP on December 26 had pointed out state of the crumbling rural health infrastructure in Islamabad. A detailed overview was given of the poor health conditions at rural health centres and basic health units. After this news feature, the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) administration held important meetings and finally decided to revamp the existing health facilities in the rural areas of Islamabad to provide better and effective health care services to the rural population of Islamabad.
In the meeting, it was decided that three Rural Health Centres at Bhara Kau, Sihala and Tarlai will be soon up-graded and round the clock health care facilities will be provided to the rural population at these rural health centres. The meeting was informed that 223 new posts of medical staff would be created for the up-graded rural health centres. It was decided that incentives will be given to the doctors working in the rural area, and package already being implemented in Punjab will be given to doctors working in the health facilities in rural areas of Islamabad.
A proposal to re-name the RHC Tarlai as Tehsil Headquarter Hospital Tarlai was also considered for which four specialist posts including medical specialist, gynaecologist, surgeon and anaesthetist will be required, while the department already has a medical specialist and gynaecologist.
The proper services structure for medical the officers, as per Punjab health department procedure, will be implemented leading to the post of Principal Medical Officer. The medical officers of ICT will also be entitled to draw RCA Rural Compensatory Allowance, equivalent to Punjab health department. Medical officers of ICT, performing emergency duties in rural areas, will also be given pay incentives as provided to ICT Police and EMO Poly Clinic.
It was further decided that the funds for procurement of medicines for rural health facilities would be increased from Rs 4 million to Rs 11 million per year. The Health Department has also prepared PC-I, 2, 3 worth Rs 131 million for the repair and renovation of the existing health facilities, which will be submitted, for approval.
This renovation and repair of health facilities of rural areas will be carried out under the Islamabad Development Package. The department will also purchase ambulances for health facilities and residential accommodations for the staff will be constructed.