Public hospitals in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa continue to suffer from a lack of medicines, treatment, and basic facilities despite 13 years of rule by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party. Residents are now calling on the new administration to prioritize service delivery for those who cannot afford private medical care.
During its time in power, the PTI government introduced several healthcare measures, including the Sehat Card programme, the Institution-Based Practice (IBP) system, and the creation of Boards of Governors (BoGs) for public-sector hospitals. These were intended to strengthen the financial status of public hospitals and improve delivery. However, residents have questioned the actual benefits for the general public.
Javed Khan, a resident of Gulberg Peshawar Cantt, told The Express Tribune that the poor saw little benefit from the PTI's 13-year tenure. He alleged that public hospitals were privatized to benefit individuals close to the former ruling party rather than the public. Khan further alleged that billions of rupees had been embezzled under the Sehat Card programme. He stated that the imposition of governor's rule has created expectations that the new administration will focus on public needs over political interests, expressing hope that appointed technocrats will use their expertise to solve longstanding problems.
Abbas Khan, a resident of Mardan, reported that district-level hospitals still face shortages of basic facilities despite government claims of improvement. He told The Express Tribune that patients with cancer and other serious diseases continue to struggle to get treatment and medicine at public hospitals. He noted that the situation is especially difficult for residents of remote districts and tribal areas like Mohmand, Bajaur, and Kurram, where patients often must travel long distances for care. Khan criticized the PTI for promising change while infrastructure and healthcare remained inadequate, urging the new administration to focus on practical improvements.
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi stated he has received numerous complaints regarding the healthcare system. He said he plans to meet with the health adviser to discuss hospital governance, the Sehat Card programme, and facility improvements. Kundi pledged to continue public welfare initiatives but criticized the PTI's 13-year tenure, claiming the party failed to establish new hospitals or BHUs.
PTI provincial information secretary Shaukat Yousafzai defended the party's record, pointing to hospital upgrades and the Sehat Card programme. He rejected the allegations of corruption and challenged the government to provide concrete evidence, stating that no such proof has been provided.
