Over Rs 708 million to be spent on health facilities in Fata and Frontier Regions

Over Rs 708 million would be spent in seven tribal agencies and six Frontier Regions (FRs) on providing improved health facilities to the tribesmen at their doorstep. The total allocation for the sector of health makes 10.73 percent of the Fata annual development programme (ADP) for the year 2007-08.
Under the plan Rs 571.227 million would be spent on the 90 ongoing schemes in the sector while 29 new schemes would be launched with the cost of Rs 136.846 million.
The South Waziristan Agency would be given Rs 101.526 million in the ADP for health sector, followed by North Waziristan with a total allocation of Rs 92.446 million. The amount would be utilised to improve the local health centres and hospitals and establish more where needed.
Under the ADP the health sector in Bajaur Agency would be given Rs 60.514 million, Mohmand will get Rs 63.018 million, Khyber Rs 61.296 million, Orakzai Rs 38.835 million and Kurram Agency will be awarded Rs 75.262 million.
Apart from that, the health sector in FR Dera Ismail Khan would be given Rs 32.073 million, FR Tank Rs 14.544 million, FR Lakki Marwat Rs 1.718 million, FR Bannu Rs 9.074 million, FR Kohat Rs 16.682 million and FR Peshawar will be awarded Rs 7.708 million. Besides, Rs 133.420 have been allocated for all Fata.
The government is making committed efforts to develop and expand programmes in the health sector and provide basic health facilities to the tribesmen at their nearest.
Establishment of a medical college in Fata is on the anvil and a sum of Rs 10.00 million has been approved for feasibility study for its construction. A sum of Rs 3.696 million has been earmarked in the ADP for award of scholarships to tribal medical students while twelve civil hospitals are being upgraded to type 'D' hospitals in Fata to further strengthen the existing health facilities.-PR