Pakistan's KP province faces severe shortage of doctors, medical facilities
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has only 8,024 doctors for a population of over 40 million
On Saturday, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was found to have a severe shortage of doctors and medical facilities, with only 8,024 doctors available for a population of over 40 million, the provincial health department said.
The department said that this shortage translates to one doctor for every 5,000 to 6,000 people.
The situation is further exacerbated by the fact that over 200 government medical facilities in the province are non-functional.
The provincial government's hospitals have a total of 18,432 beds, but the population requires around 64,000 beds, leaving a shortage of approximately 45,568 beds.
The provincial advisor for health, Lieutenant General (retd) Nigah Jower, said that amendments are being made to the Medical Teaching Institutions (MTI) Act and an audit of government hospitals is being conducted.
She also stated that the health card system will be improved to provide better treatment facilities to the public.
The shortage of doctors, non-functional medical facilities, and lack of beds in hospitals are issues that need to be addressed through government reforms and increased medical facilities.
Background
The healthcare system in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has been facing challenges for several years, with a shortage of medical professionals and facilities being a major concern.
The province has been working to improve its healthcare infrastructure, but the task is complex and requires significant investment and resources.
