Health minister visits far-off Tirah valley

PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Health Minister Dr Hisham Inamullah Khan on Tuesday said that the tribal people had been deprived of their fundamental rights and basic facilities.

“I assure that the government under the leadership of Prime Minister Imran Khan will end all their deprivations and ensure all possible facilities,” said the health minister while addressing local elders in the remote Tirah Maidan valley of the Khyber tribal district.

Health advisor Dr Jawad Wasif, additional deputy commissioner of Khyber district Jamshed Khan, army officials, media coordinator health department Daniyal Khan and health officials were also present on the occasion. It merits a mention here that Dr Hisham was the first minister who visited Tirah Maidan area. The army officials briefed the health minister about health services being provided to the locals by them.

They informed the minister on different issues like lack of health staff and medicines in some of the facilities. Health minister also visited an under construction health facility and directed to speed up construction work on the hospital. He assured to provide additional funds for the hospital.

Later, addressing a jirga of elders at HQ 23 Brigade, Bagh in Tirah Maidan, the minister said that the government would protect their all rights and they would be provided with quality health, education and other facilities.

“I will soon brief the chief minister about the lack of facilities in the tribal districts as he was also interested in the development of this region,” he said. Dr Hisham Inamullah Khan also visited a free medical camp organized by army’s 23 Brigade at Bagh where 1032 were given medical aid. He lauded the army for providing free medical facilities to locals.

Dr Hisham announced the establishment of two major health facilities with the support of Unicef in district Khyber besides making all BHUs and civil dispensaries functional.