Healthcare reforms 1KTH deaths exposed PTI claims: PPP leaders

PESHAWAR: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leaders said on Wednesday that the inquiry report into the deaths of seven patients at the Khyber Teaching Hospital due to the shortage of oxygen has exposed the tall claims of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government about the so-called health reforms.

Speaking at a news conference, PPP central Information Secretary Nafisa Shah, provincial Information Secretary Senator Robina Khalid and others rejected the inquiry report, arguing that the suspension of the hospital director was merely an eyewash. They demanded the immediate resignation of the provincial minister for health.

Nafisa Shah expressed deep shock over the tragedy, saying precious human lives were lost due to non-availability of basic facilities and negligence. She said the PTI rulers had been making tall claims about the so-called health reforms but the non-availability of oxygen in the hospital had exposed the government.

The PPP leader said the coronavirus affected patients were being brought to the hospital for oxygen and if the government could not provide it where the people should go.

Quoting the inquiry report, she stated that the oxygen problem had been there since 2017 and the hospital lacked the trained staff. “There was no alternative system but still the PTI leaders keep boasting of the measures taken for Covid-19 patients,” she added.

Nafisa Shah said the KTH tragedy has also exposed the MTI Act enforced in 2015. She alleged that under this act, corruption amounting to Rs8 billion was committed in one hospital.

She said that the cousin of Prime Minister Imran Khan, Dr Nowsherwan Burki was running affairs of the hospitals from the US despite the fact that the Supreme Court of Pakistan had disqualified him.

The PPP leader urged the rulers to stop injustices with the people of KP. “The inefficient rulers have pushed the entire healthcare system towards destruction in the name of reforms,” she maintained.

Robina Khalid said the PTI rulers could not construct any new hospital but had ruined the already existing health facilities.

Health cards system, she alleged, was introduced to facilitate private hospitals.

She said the government hospitals were defamed to pave the way for privatization of these institutions. She demanded the resignation of the Health Minister Taimur Saleem Jhagra.