KP health minister orders probe into youth’s death

PESHAWAR: Health Minister Qasim Ali Shah has responded promptly to reports of a young boy’s tragic demise allegedly caused by a wrongful injection.

Expressing deep concern, the minister directed the Health Care Commission to conduct a thorough investigation into the matter.

In a statement, he expressed his condolences to the family of the deceased. He emphasised that no unregistered clinic or practitioner should endanger lives through negligent practices.

He highlighted an ongoing crackdown on unlicensed clinics and hospitals across the province, urging the public to seek treatment only from certified doctors.

In compliance with the minister’s directives, a team led by Chief Inspector Asadullah Khan and Inspector Shahid Iqbal has been tasked with investigating the incident.

According to the statement, initial findings suggest the involvement of the Jehanzeb Jan Medicos clinic in Swabi, previously shut down by the Health Care Commission for operating without authorisation.

The clinic’s practitioner, claiming to be an operation theatre technician, failed to produce valid credentials, resulting in the closure.

However, the clinic reopened in violation of the law, prompting locals to report the matter to the police.

The statement said the alleged quack is now in police custody, and the clinic has been sealed once again.

The alleged quack is scheduled to appear before the De-Sealing Committee on March 27. The chief inspector emphasised that the cause of the young boy’s death can only be determined after the receipt of the post-mortem report.