Integration of KP-Fata health department: DG health Fata stays away from meeting

PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Health Department faced inconvenience on Monday when the director general of erstwhile Fata Health Directorate stay away from an important meeting convened on Monday in Peshawar for likely integration of the health department and devising a plan for supplementary immunisation activity (SIA) for measles in the province on October 15, 2018.

Senior officials of the provincial Health Department told The News that all district health officers (DHOs), previously called Agency Surgeons, and the DG of erstwhile Fata Health Directorate were prior informed and invited to the meeting on Monday.

However, they said most of the DHOs, except that of the Upper Kurram and a few others, came and attended the meeting but DG of erstwhile Fata Directorate deliberately avoided attending the important moot in Peshawar.

“They were informed about significance of this meeting to initiate the integration process and devise a better strategy of the erstwhile Fata Health Directorate and provincial Health Department. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Secretary Health had convened this first meeting of the officials concerned associated with erstwhile Fata Health Directorate in different capacities but DG of erstwhile Health Directorate avoided to come,” said one official of the provincial Health Department.

Pleading anonymity, he said it sent a wrong signal and was taken dangerous for integration of important departments such as health and education.

He said the provincial Health Department through a summary had also stopped making intra-inter-district transfer and posting, negotiations or agreement or signing memorandum of understanding with any partner, provincial or federal NGOs till the approval of the competent authority. However, the official complained that recruitment was still going on, amid allegations of various positions are being sold to the aspirants. He said purpose of the meeting was taking the authorities concerned into confidence integration.

After merger with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the biggest challenges ahead are stated to be integration of the different government departments being administered by the political agents or blue-eyed people until now. Also, there were reports that some people in the defunct Fata Health Directorate, after sensing that their days are numbered, started frequent recruitment and misuse of funds on futile exercises.

Senior government officials on condition of anonymity told The News that some people in the ex-Fata Health Directorate showed strong resistance when the provincial Health Department a few weeks ago made an attempt to carefully initiate the integration process.

According to government officials, besides ghost health centres and ghost employees, huge funds meant for providing healthcare to the tribespeople were being misused due to lack of proper monitoring and strong accountability mechanism.

Secretary Health has written a letter to the director general of the defunct Fata Health Directorate and agency surgeons of all the seven tribal districts with the direction to participate in the meeting on Monday.

It had directed all the officers concerned are directed to bring along year-wise budget allocation during the last five years along with the list of healthcare facilities in the newly named districts of Bajaur, Mohmand, Khyber, Orakzai, Kurram, North Waziristan and South Waziristan and the list of existing district/ directorate wise staff.

The secretary health also directed them to bring along district and directorate wise SNE (detail of recruitment), details of FSV, details of vehicles in the directorate and districts, details of purchases/procurement, IT equipment/office equipment, machines, ambulances, medicines and others to the meeting in Peshawar.

When reached, Dr Jawad Habib, director general of Fata Health Directorate, said he had planned to attend the meeting but stuck in other important engagements.

He however said that they had been told to wait till the transition plan is officially approved; saying health and education departments in the erstwhile Fata would be integrated in three months as once the plan is approved.

“Obviously I am part of the provincial health department and will definitely have to work for integration of the department but let us wait for approval of the transition plan,” said Dr Jawad Habib.

He denied the allegations of corruption in transfer and postings, saying people should share their information with him if they have solid proofs and he would take action.

Also, according to government officials, some people were still trying to convince high ups and continue the position of DG Health for the seven tribal districts in future.

According to officials, it would have no use if the position was allowed to continue, saying the only way to improve services and develop the culture of check and balance, the DG post should be abolished in the erstwhile Fata and tribal districts should be adjusted to the nearest divisional headquarters in the province.

“The best way is to adjust South Waziristan with Dera Ismail Khan, North Waziristan with Bannu, Orakzai and Kurram with Kohat, Khyber and Mohmand districts with Peshawar and Bajaur tribal district with Malakand division. It will help these tribal districts improve services and would have better mechanism of check and balance in expenditure of funds,” a senior government in Fata secretariat told The News.