Chief Minister Balochistan, Mir Sarfraz Bugti, Emphasizes Accountability and Reform in Health Sector

Quetta: The Chief Minister of Balochistan, Mir Sarfraz Bugti, has reiterated his commitment to providing quality healthcare services to the people of Balochistan, stating that no compromises will be made in ensuring public welfare. Addressing a review meeting of the Health Department, he emphasized that every common citizen in Balochistan must have access to standard medical facilities.
The meeting, which was attended by senior officials from the Health Department, included a detailed briefing on ongoing development initiatives in the health sector and the challenges faced. During the session, it was decided that the Balochistan Institutional Reforms Act will be introduced to bring about service and administrative improvements in the healthcare system. The Chief Minister instructed that progress on 12 pending legal drafts be expedited, with five drafts already in the final stages.
Secretary of Health, Mujib-ur-Rehman Panizai, briefed the meeting on efforts to address the shortage of trained healthcare professionals. He reported that 1,600 doctors, 1,600 paramedics, 60 faculty members, assistant professors, and senior registrars have already been recruited, with an additional 800 doctors set to be hired soon.
The meeting also discussed anti-polio measures, with 8,000 personnel from the private sector enlisted to strengthen the vaccination drive. This has led to a significant reduction in the number of polio cases. It was further noted that steps are being taken to establish command and control systems, facilitation centers, surveillance hubs, data centers, and network operation centers within the Health Department.
Chief Minister Bugti made it clear that significant improvements in the health sector of Balochistan are crucial. He instructed the swift activation of the Health Sector Reform Unit and stressed that there would be no compromise on public interest. He also ordered the creation of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to assess individual performance within the Health Department.
The Chief Minister remarked that the Balochistan Health Department receives over 80 billion rupees annually, a sum that could provide treatment at the country’s most expensive private hospitals for every Balochistani. He emphasized the need for correct utilization of these funds, stating that the waste of public resources would be intolerable.
The meeting was attended by Provincial Minister of Health, Bakht Mohammad Kakr, Chief Secretary Shakeel Qadir Khan, Principal Secretary Babar Khan, Secretary Health Mujib-ur-Rehman Panizai, Secretary Finance Imran Zarkon, Secretary Communications Lal Jan Jafar, Secretary Law Kaleem Ullah Khan, Director General Health Services Dr. Amin Khan Mandokhail, Director of Balochistan Health Card Dr. Ahmed Wali Khan, and other relevant officials.