PESHAWAR: Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Ali Amin Khan Gandapur has ordered removal of district health officers (DHOs) in certain districts due to poor performance and directed that professional and competent DHOs be posted strictly on a merit basis.
He issued these directives while presiding over a meeting of the Independent Monitoring Unit (IMU) of the Health Department. Participants of the meeting were briefed on the objectives, responsibilities, performance, challenges and the future roadmap of the IMU. Additionally, actions taken by the Health Department based on IMU reports were reviewed.
The chief minister directed the health authorities to take immediate actions on the IMU reports, adding the department should also provide details of the actions taken on the reports of IMU. He also directed them to strengthen the monitoring of healthcare facilities and get public feedback regarding service delivery and facilities provided in health centres across the province.
He emphasized that doctors and other staff who demonstrate good performance should be encouraged and appreciated. He also directed to ensure that all types of machinery and medical equipment in hospitals were fully operational and emergency medicines are available in public hospitals in the province.
He also ordered strict action against habitually absent doctors and other medical staff, emphasizing that the attendance of doctors and medical staff at health centers must be ensured at all costs.
During a briefing, the meeting was informed that the IMU conducted an average of 3,972 monitoring visits to healthcare facilities monthly, including 3,428 visits to Primary Health Centers and 544 visits to Secondary Health Centers. In 2024, a total of 36,244 monitoring visits were conducted at primary and secondary health centers, out of which 6,094 visits were in merged districts. Monthly reports of these visits are prepared and sent to the relevant stakeholders for decision-making. These reports covered aspects such as cleanliness of health centers, availability of doctors and paramedical staff, medical equipment and machinery, medicines, and public satisfaction, the authorities told and added that the IMU also monitors Welfare Centers of Population Welfare department. Last year, approximately 9,000 visits were conducted to these centers.
