ADB pledges to extend helping hand for improved health services delivery in KP

PESHAWAR: Asian Development Bank (ADB) while lauding the role of provincial government for health reforms has pledged to extend a helping hand to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Government for an improved Health Services delivery system.

Rie Hiraoka, Director Asian Development Bank while expressing views at the opening ceremony of a two-day consultative workshop here on Tuesday said that provincial government had been giving too much significance to health sector, adding that “It is an honor to be working with provincial government for an improved health system”.

She hoped that the workshop will help both the partners to identify areas where Asian Development Bank could extend assistance to the provincial government.

Secretary Health Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Abid Majeed while addressing the participants said the health sector across the globe was simply meant to reduce pocket expenditure and provide health facilities to the populous at their doorsteps.

He said that funding health sector is a problem equally faced by each government and the government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was no exception.

He went on saying that a strengthened preventive system not only would cost less but could also reduce burden on District Headquarters Hospitals, meant for major procedures.

“The provincial government had been allocating huge funds but still there are gaps to be filled”, he informed.

Abid Majeed further said that staff without adequate equipment would not be of any use and hoped that the participants of the workshop will come up with a solid and viable strategy for a better health services delivery system.

Director General Health services Dr. Ayub Roz on this occasion said Asian Development Bank was going to support us in some areas adding that the provincial health department was doing a lot within its own resources, however added that assistance in shape of grant from the Asian Development Bank would help us fill the gaps enabling us to have a robust health system.

Rouselle F. Lavado, Health Specialist of Asian Development Bank while sharing key findings of health sector assessment said that reforms of the provincial government were worth appreciation however said that a lot of work was needed to be done in the sector.

She said that the ambitious agenda and commitment of the KP government attracted the Bank to extend a helping hand to the government for a better health service delivery system.

Lauding the initiatives of the government like establishment of independent Monitoring Unit, Health Care Commission, Public Health ordinance, significant increase in health budget and mobilization of all resources, she said “Having seen the commitment of government, the Asian development bank wants to strengthen the health service delivery system in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa”.

Referring to the challenges being faced by the health sector, she said that quality of hospital services, utilization of available space, infrastructure, process management, future requirement of more doctors and nurses, training of staff on Behaviour change communication, lack of behaviour change interventions, management training for physicians, training of budget and finance staff, inadequate funds for maintenance of equipment, were the areas that needed to be focused on.

The two day workshop will discuss quality of care, health care governance, health service delivery master plan, financial sustainability of reforms and behaviour change communication.

Divided in four groups the participants will discuss their respective subjects and make presentations on their deliberations.