PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Healthcare Commission (KPHC) has taken action against 500 outlets for indulging in illegal medical practices and efforts are underway to streamline the health delivery system and provide quality services to the patients.

KPHC board of governors chairman Dr Mohammad Zaffar said this at a workshop here on Tuesday. Senior consultants and medical experts and managers also spoke on the occasion.

Dr Zaffar, a former director-general health services, said that action against over 500 institutions and healthcare outlets, including diagnostic centres, had been taken. He said that most of these outlets operated illegally in rural areas and some in Peshawar city.

Official says action taken against 500 outlets for indulging in illegal practices

He said that the stakeholders from all medical sectors needed to help the commission in pointing out such illegally-run medical centres and unauthorised practitioners.

Dr Zaffar said that KPHC had also been evolving a plan for capacity building of medical practitioners, paramedics and nurses with the help of both public and private sectors.

He claimed that the commission was making efforts to ensure monitoring and evaluation of all healthcare delivery centres through independent monitors and auditors. He said that priority was being given to frame a system to discourage sale of medicines without prescription.

“This will only be possible with maximum coordination of legal, authorised and qualified medical practitioners with the commission,” he remarked. He said that the commission had initiated work, which also included taking action against all unauthorised medical practitioners and diagnostic centres.

HCC’s chief executive officer Asif Naveed said that the stakeholders should help them in pinpointing of the gray and black areas as well as support them in evolving a strategy for resolving all such problems. He said that a strategy was being devised for the promotion of notified pricing list in all medical and diagnostic centres.

Dr Sidra Jabbar said that health delivery system could be streamlined with merit-based appointments and postings and utilisation of funds and resources according to the needs.

Published in Dawn September 7th, 2016