KOHAT: Provincial minister for finance and health Taimur Saleem Jhagra has announced provision of medical teaching facilities at the KDA hospital, Kohat, to rid the people of Karak, Hangu, Orakzai and Kurram districts from being referred to Peshawar and Islamabad for treatment.

Addressing the elders, health officials and PTI workers during his visits of hospitals in Hangu, Doaba and Thall on Thursday, he said that an annual grant of Rs1.5 billion to Rs2 billion would be provided to the KDA hospital for the purpose.

He said that Rs800,000 would be given to every basic health unit in the province for maintenance and renovation work.

Accompanied by district health officer, Hangu, Dr Sanaullah and other officials, the minister also announced Rs20 million for Thall hospital.

Minister says annual grant of up to Rs2bn to be given for the purpose

He said the newly-constructed Doaba hospital would be made functional within three months and 65 sanctioned posts would be filled.

Mr Jhagra said the Thall and Doaba hospitals would be outsourced to provide better health facilities to the people.

He added that money for kidney and liver transplants would be provided in the health card separately so that the poor people could get the facility free of cost.

RECONCILIATORY JIRGA: A reconciliatory jirga of the Shia and Sunni elders here on Thursday vowed to work side by side with the administration to identify and discourage the elements who wanted to sabotage peace in Kohat district.

In a joint statement, they vowed to foil the nefarious designs of anti-state elements. The jirga was held at the hujra of former district nazim Seth Gohar Saifullah in Mohammadzai, which was attended by leaders from both the sides.

They reached an agreement to resolve all disputes mutually. It may be recalled that the residents blocked the Hangu highway at Mohammadzai following the alleged violation of the 2018 agreement by the Shia community members while returning to their areas on Hangu road after attending Chehlum.

FACILITATION DESKS: Special desks have been set up at the police stations to speedily address the complaints of the visitors.

Kohat division DIG Tahir Ayub and the district police officer inaugurated the ‘Madadgar’ desks here the other under the directives of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police chief Moazzam Jah Ansari.

The facility would be available 24/7, and only plain-clothes police officials would be deputed at the desks.

The officials would listen to the problems faced by the visitors in a friendly environment and ensure their meetings with the high officials in complicated cases.

Published in Dawn, October 1st, 2021