PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa health department has decided to constitute a board of governors to oversee the affairs of the Khyber Institute of Child Health and newly-constructed Fountain House and make the two health facilities operational.

Work on the 200-bed state-of-the-art Fountain House (Institute of Mental Health and Behavioural Sciences) was completed recently, leading to the start of OPD only.

Construction of the institute in Hayatabad Township began more than 10 years ago but got delayed due to a lack of funds, according to officials.

They said the FH was meant to improve mental health services in the province.

Board to work independently, take decisions as per needs, says official

The officials said the health department had shifted patients and labs from the Sarhad Hospital for Psychiatric Diseases Fountain House (FH) but had planned to introduce a board of governors to speed up work and make it fully functional.

Under the plan, the BoG will also be tasked with working for the operationalisation of Khyber Institute of Child Health (KICH) and Children Hospital.

The officials said the health department was also required to notify FH as a teaching hospital and BoG in addition to the CEO’s appointment to run the affairs until the hiring of its own staff members.

They said a letter had also been sent to the health department to ensure that FH gets the desired BoG and staff to be able to start operations.

The officials said the health department had sent a request for Rs2.142 billion funds to recruit staff and purchase equipment for the FH.

Rs100 million is required per year, according to them.

“To make things fast, we have planned to put in place BoG to help both the institutes as the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa desperately required strengthening psychiatric and child health services,” focal person to the health minister Dr Nabi Jan Afridi told Dawn.

He said both institutes were very important to provide modern services to the patients as well as impart training to doctors in the areas of mental and child health.

Dr Afridi said those institutes were supposed to act as umbrella organisations for mental and child health in the province and all the provinces except Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had already established such facilities where patients received quality services, doctors, and paramedics and nurses received modern education in the respective fields.

“The BoG will work independently and can take decisions as per needs. We are closely working with the psychiatrists and paediatricians to make sure that both the institutions start work for the benefits of patients and healthcare providers,” he said.

The focal person said the KICH and Children Hospital were also located in Hayatabad but despite passage of more than 10 years, it had yet to start operations.

“It is being looked after by BoG of Hayatabad Medical Complex and as per plan, it will be brought under board along with FH,” he said.

Dr Afridi said a work plan had been submitted to the department for early approval to avoid further delays.

He said the search and nomination council for both institutes would make the nomination of BoG members.

The focal person said separate staff has also been demanded for FH.

“There is also a suggestion to depute psychiatrists from Lady Reading Hospital on rotation basis until the availability of its own staff. The government has planned to make itfully functional in early 2025,” he said.

Published in Dawn, October 30th, 2024