Aga Khan Health Service Pakistan (AKHSP) accomplished yet another milestone by inaugurating an upgraded rural health centre (RHC) in Mastuj with the latest medical equipment under public private partnership initiative between health department and AKHSP. The inauguration ceremony took place in presence of huge number of elites from the area after the centre was retrofitted and insulated jointly by AKHSP and AKPBSP. Deputy Commissioner Chitral, Shoaib Jadoon was the chief guest.
The gigantic task of shifting the newly acquired medical equipment and supplies were shifted to the renovated RHC with the hectic efforts of AKHSP. Jadoon formally opened the facility for general public by cutting the ribbon.
After the inauguration ceremony, the deputy commissioner along with other dignitaries visited the retrofitted, insulated and well-equipped RHC building. The state-of-the-art RHC in an area where getting proper healthcare was no less than a dream come true, left the top district officer [DC] with no option but to shower praise on AKHSP for turning a redundant hospital into a model health facility.
The deputy commissioner visited doctors' clinics, pharmacy, treatment room, laboratory, X-ray room, male/female wards, labour room and emergency room. After taking round of the facility, the DC and the guests joined other audiences at the function speech corner.
The function started with the recitation from the Holy Quran. Prince Sikandarul Mulk, chairman RHC Mastuj Health Committee, welcomed the guests. He said that this well-furnished, retrofitted and insulated building was not meant only for this village of Mastuj but for the whole population of about 60,000 in Yarkun and Laspur valleys.
He thanked the Italian government for its generous donation in making the project a reality under Pak Italian Debt-for-Development Swap Agreement (PIDSA). He thanked secretary health Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provincial government, district administration Chitral and particularly AKHSP for their generous support to improve the health service delivery at RHC Mastuj under public private partnership arrangement.
Dr Ibrahim, a representative of district health officer (DHO) assured full support of health department support in fulfilling its obligations under public-private partnership programme (PPP). He appreciated procuring standard quality equipment under the PPP project with the financial support of the Italian government.
Dr Zafar Ahmed, general-manager AKHSP thanked the distinguished guests on behalf of chairperson AKHSP Dr Rashida Ahmed, vice chairperson Zahra Furniturewalla and CEO of AKHSP Jim C Myers, as they could not travel to Chitral.
He also shared the commitment on the part of AKHSP board to provide good quality healthcare services to the community in Chitral. He thanked KP provincial government, district administration Chitral, district health department, Italian government, Aga Khan Foundation Pakistan and the community for their valuable support for the PPP initiative.
Shoaib Jadoon, deputy commissioner Chitral said that building and equipment are essentially one important milestone in the project. He expressed hope that the retrofitted building and equipment will be best used and the community will benefit from these services. "Hats off to those who worked for this project", he maintained.
Jadoon said that government spends a huge sum of money on training of doctors. About service delivery, he said that when quality medical is available at RHC Mastuj, the patients will be satisfied and there will be no complain. Therefore, efforts are needed to improve the quality of services to the community, he added. He appreciated the healthcare service delivery at RHC Mastuj and assured full support of the district administration to such initiatives of public interest.
Siraj Ali Khan (advocate), honorary secretary regional council upper Chitral thanked the deputy commissioner for tireless and continuous support in projects of public interest. He said that both the health department and AKHSP are providing valuable services, adding the project under PPP is an example to provide quality healthcare to the people in the remote valley of upper Chitral.
Besides senior government officials of district Chitral, upper Chitral regional council secretary, local leadership and more than 300 community members also participated in the ceremony.
Published in Business Recorder, 28 Nov 2013