New health policy: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government urged to consult stakeholders

Doctors' community of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa demanded of the provincial government to consult with relevant stakeholders in formulation of new health policy in the province, which is essential for better health delivery system and in the best interest of the patients.
Speaking at a news conference here at Peshawar Press Club (PPC) on Thursday, Chairman Provincial Health Employees Co-ordination Council Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Dr Mustafa Iqbal said that the policy makers should incorporate their recommendations by giving proper representation of doctors and other relevant doctors and health employees' bodies in the new policy making process. For the purpose, he informed that they held meeting with Chairman KP Assembly Committee on Health Jaffar Shah, who issued directives to special secretary health to device a restructure of the health policy with consultation of all relevant stakeholders.
But, he said that despite the directives, the secretary health had introduced a new law "Health Essential Services", which was notified with illegal way. "We want to extend health service to poor patients as per international standard, which could not be possible without formulation of a comprehensive health policy in the province", he maintained. On the occasion, members of the health co-ordination, Vice Chairman Dr Abdul Qadar, Farah Jalil, Secretary General Johar Ali, Additional General Secretary Syed Roidad Shah, Joint Secretary, Dr Alamgir, Finance Secretary Nab Amin and others were present.
Dr Mustafa said that it is the dire need of the hour to introduce a holistic health strategy with consultation of all relevant stakeholders for the longer period of five to ten years. He said that consultation would yield fruitful results for proposition of better health delivery in the province.