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Chief Minister Balochistan Sarfraz Bugti presided over a key meeting regarding the province’s health department and emphasized that providing quality healthcare services to the people of Balochistan is a top priority of the state. He declared that no compromise will be tolerated on this matter. During the meeting, officials from the health department gave a detailed briefing on ongoing development projects and the challenges being faced.
The Chief Minister directed the formulation of “Key Performance Indicators” (KPIs) to evaluate individual performance within the department, aiming to ensure accountability based on merit and results. He also announced that the Balochistan Institutional Reforms Act would be introduced to improve services and administrative structures in the health sector. Progress on 12 pending legislative drafts will be expedited, with five of them already in final stages.
Bugti stressed that the wastage of public resources is unacceptable and every penny allocated to the health sector must be spent on the well-being of the people. Secretary Health, Mujeeb-ur-Rehman Panizai, informed the meeting that steps are being taken to overcome the shortage of trained human resources. So far, 1,600 doctors, 1,600 paramedics, 60 faculty members, assistant professors, and senior registrars have been recruited, while the recruitment of an additional 800 doctors is underway.
Significant progress has also been made in the fight against polio, with 8,000 individuals recruited from the private sector to support the campaign, resulting in a notable decline in polio cases. The department is also taking steps to establish a command and control system, facilitation centers, surveillance centers, a data center, and a network operations center to modernize the health infrastructure.
The Chief Minister instructed the immediate activation of the Health Sector Reforms Unit and made it clear that while protests or sit-ins are a democratic right, there will be no compromise on public interest. He noted that over 80 billion rupees are allocated to the health department annually, a figure that could afford high-end private healthcare for every citizen of Balochistan, emphasizing the need for proper and effective utilization of these funds.
Senior officials and relevant authorities participated in the meeting and expressed agreement on implementing practical measures in line with the Chief Minister’s vision.
