On Monday, Advisor to Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Health, Ahtisham Ali, formally assumed the charge of the Health Department. A briefing session and an introductory meeting with the department’s staff were held on this occasion.
The meeting was attended by Secretary Health Adeel Shah, Special Secretary Health Ghafoor Shah, Habibullah, Additional Secretary MTIs Muhammad Niaz, Deputy Secretary Drugs Ibrahim, Director General Health Dr. Muhammad Saleem, Director General Drugs Dr. Abbas, Additional Director General Shahid Younas, Chief Planning Officer Qaiser Alam, and other relevant officials.
During the meeting, Advisor Ahtisham Ali was given a comprehensive briefing on the various administrative and operational matters of the health department. He was also briefed on the department’s attached formations, autonomous bodies, and other related affairs. Special attention was given to the Health Card program and other significant initiatives taken by the department.
In his address, Ahtisham Ali emphasized the urgent need to act swiftly, stating, “We are in a health emergency today, and we must act immediately. We need to improve healthcare services in remote areas and ensure the availability of medical staff and equipment to make health centers fully functional.”
He instructed the immediate activation of all four Regional Directorates to decentralize administrative tasks, reducing the workload on the offices of the Secretary and Director General of Health.
He further mentioned that appointments for vacant District Specialist positions would be made promptly, and special focus would be placed on immunization to eliminate epidemic diseases.
Advisor Ehtisham Ali also stressed the importance of anti-dengue sprays to control the spread of the virus. He directed the Independent Monitoring Unit (IMU) to regularly submit reports on staff attendance, the availability of facilities, the functionality of medical equipment, and other administrative matters.
He also called for performance meetings based on these reports to improve healthcare delivery.
