PESHAWAR: Health minister Taimur Saleem Khan Jhagra on Monday blamed the healthcare system for the death of six patients in Peshawar’s Khyber Teaching Hospital due to oxygen shortage as the opposition demanded his resignation.

During a provincial assembly sitting chaired by Speaker Mushtaq Ahmad Ghani, the opposition members shouted slogans and displayed placards inscribed with calls for Mr Jhagra’s resignation as the health minister over the KTH deaths, which occurred in the early hours of Sunday following the suspension of oxygen supply.

Mr Jhagra holds the portfolios of finance and health.

The joint opposition rejected the report of preliminary inquiry into the incident by the KTH board of governors and constituted its own panel to probe the causes of oxygen shortage, which killed six patients, including four confirmed Covid-19 cases.

Tells PA that one secy or DG can’t manage 1,500 health facilities

Before starting proceedings of the House, parliamentary leaders of the opposition parties met in the chamber of Opposition Leader Akram Khan Durrani and decided that the opposition parties would continue protest until the government took legal action against the people involved in the unfortunate KTH incident.

The opposition constituted a seven-member committee comprising its lawmakers to look into six deaths. Headed by Khushdil Khan advocate of the ANP, the panel will present its report in seven days.

The opposition also decided to set up a protest camp in front of the Chief Minister’s Secretariat from Tuesday on a daily basis. It agreed to requisition the sitting if the government adjourned the current one for an indefinite period.

Speaking on a joint point of order, MPA Khushdil Khan came down heavily on the government over KTH deaths and asked the health minister to tender resignation.

“We [opposition] reject this inquiry report,” he said.

Pakistan Peoples Party member Nighat Yasmin Orakzai termed the death of patients at KTH murder and said the government couldn’t absolve itself from the responsibility.

“We [opposition] thought that the health minister would come to the house with resignation letter in hand,” she said.

“If Niazi sahib has moral courage, then he should ask the health minister to resign forthwith,” said Orakzai referring to Prime Minister Imran Khan.

PPP lawmaker Ahmad Kundi said the suspension of one KTH director over deaths was not enough.

He asked the health minister to identify the main culprits and make them accountable.

Mr Kundi said Mr Jhagra should quit portfolios if he did not have much time to manage them.

Mian Nisar Gul Kakakhel of the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal said the in charge trainee medical officer (TMO) was informed about the shortage of oxygen at 8pm but he didn’t take notice. He said on one hand, the government was talking about Covid-19 emergency but on the other, patients did not get beds and oxygen in hospitals.

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz member Sardar Mohammad Yousaf urged the government to hold the people accountable for the KTH incident.

He said if the government couldn’t manage oxygen supply to a major hospital in Peshawar, then what the condition of healthcare system would be in the far-flung areas of the province.

Responding to the point of order, health minister Jhagra instead of taking responsibility for deaths termed the incident the healthcare system’s failure and offered himself for facing questions and criticism of the opposition.

“For me, resignation is not the issue. I always keep two resignations in my pockets and this is the chief minister’s prerogative to ask me anytime to quit one or both portfolios,” he said.

The minister said political consideration aside, the treasury and opposition should sincerely work together to improve the system.

He claimed improvement in the healthcare system during the PTI tenure but said there was still room for improvement. He said the government would not hide details of the incident as the report of the KTH BoG, which was an independent body, had already made public.

“We gave clear directions; don’t hide anything and don’t spare anyone,” said Mr Jhagra, who broke into a compromising note despite being known for his aggressive temperament.

He informed the lawmakers that Chief Minister Mahmood Khan chaired a meeting, discussed the case and ordered another inquiry within five days.

The minister said the government was ready to hold another independent inquiry if the need arose and that neither he nor the government would evade accountability.

He asked the opposition not to anger the people and hold culprits accountable.

Mr Jhagra admitted that the level of oxygen was not monitored between 8pm and 12am.

He proposed devolution of the health delivery system.

He said one health secretary or director general couldn’t manage the affairs of 1,500 health establishments in the province.

“The only way forward is to devolve the system,” he said.

The assembly passed the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police (Amendment) Bill, 2020, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Healthcare Services Providers and Facilities (Prevention of Violence and Damage to Property) Bill, 2020 and the Pakhtunkhwa Energy Development Organisation Bill, 2020.

Published in Dawn, December 8th, 2020