Outsourced govt hospital offering efficient healthcare at nominal charges

PESHAWAR: Situated in the heart of Peshawar - Nishtarabad — the Government General Hospital (GGH) has emerged as a success in transforming a public sector health entity into a role model for medical facilities that provides equitable and efficient treatment to the people at a very nominal fee of just Rs 10 per visit.

Managed by the Medical Emergency Resilience Foundation (MERF), a specialized healthcare agency, the GGH operates under the KP government’s initiative to outsource select public sector hospitals to private entities. This partnership has enabled the hospital to offer near-free medical services to hundreds of patients daily.

“The hospital provides a wide range of services, including Outpatient Departments (OPD) for general and specialized care, Inpatient Departments (IPD) across various disciplines like surgery, pediatrics, gynecology, and ophthalmology, Accident & Emergency (A&E) care, operation theaters, labor rooms, laboratory services, pharmacies, and EPI (Expanded Programme on Immunization) services,” said Dr. Qazi Shabaz, Deputy Medical Superintendent of GGH, while talking to the Associated Press of Pakistan (APP). Under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) initiative, MERF oversees health facilities across five merged districts in KP. The primary objective is to operationalize these hospitals and ensure the provision of high-quality, affordable healthcare services to the public.

Since the MERF assumed control of GGH four years ago, the hospital has seen remarkable improvements in service delivery, making it a lifeline for Peshawar’s residents and surrounding communities.

The MERF focuses on enhancing access to quality healthcare that is equitable, efficient, and affordable, working in collaboration with governments, international organizations, and private entities.

Its services span healthcare delivery, workforce capacity building, healthcare governance, supply chain management, health information systems, and policy development. During a visit to GGH, a significant influx of patients was observed, ranging from elderly individuals to children and women, all benefiting from the hospital’s affordable, high-quality care.

One of the hospital’s standout facilities is the mammography X-ray machine, used for breast cancer screening and diagnosis.In 2024 alone, 492 patients accessed this vital service for just Rs 10 each, a fraction of the Rs 15,000 normally charged by private facilities.

The last year, GGH’s gynecology OPD catered to 36,547 female patients, resulting in 2,163 deliveries. These included 650 gynecological surgeries and 424 C-sections-all provided at the nominal fee of Rs 10, with free medications supplied through the hospital pharmacy. Patients also benefited from 15,505 ultrasounds and 379,864 laboratory tests for diagnostic purposes.

Since October 2024, the hospital’s newly introduced emergency services have treated 7,346 patients in just three months.Dr Shabaz revealed that MERF’s management contract for GGH was initially set for three years, with strong potential for extension.

He encouraged people, particularly those from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, to take advantage of the hospital’s affordable, high-quality healthcare services. Several patients interviewed confirmed the affordability, stating they paid only Rs 10 for admission without any additional charges.

The transformation of the GGH under MERF’s stewardship stands as a testament to the effectiveness of public-private partnerships in revolutionizing healthcare accessibility and affordability.