Health emergency response to accidents: Satellite rescue stations, ambulances handed over to KP govt

PESHAWAR: Eight Satellite Rescue Stations and 14 ambulances were handed over to the KP government on Tuesday to improve the health emergency response to road traffic accidents in the province.

The provincial government received the facilities under KP Reconstruction Programme (KPRP) which is funded by USAID.

The handing and taking over ceremony was held here at the Chief Minister’s House where Chief Minister Sardar Ali Amin Khan Gandapur was the chief guest.

Health Minister Syed Qasim Ali Shah, Chief Secretary Nadeem Aslam Chaudhry, administrative secretaries of departments concerned, US Consul General Shante Moore and others attended the ceremony.

The Satellite Rescue Stations connected with Wireless Equipment and other state-of-the-art medical and technical facilities including a mini operation theatre, would be placed at major highways.

The highways will include Shahbazkhel, Lakki Marwat (Indus Highway), Speena More, Karak (Indus Highway), Charsadda and Karnal Sher Khan interchanges at M-1 Motorway, Haripur Interchange (Hazara Motorway), Katlang Interchange (Swat Motorway), near Bisham at Karakorum Highway and Lowari Tunnel at Upper Dir side (N-45 Highway.

Four ambulances with ventilator facilities would be provided to Saidu Group of Teaching Hospital, whereas the other 10 ambulances would be provided to different districts of the Malakand division including Shangla, Chitral, Lower Dir, Upper Dir, Buner and Malakand. The chief minister in his speech lauded the USAID for improving health emergency services in the province.

He hoped the Satellite Rescue Stations would ensure an immediate and effective response to road accidents, thereby reducing the loss to precious human life and disabilities. He said that the KP had been affected badly in the war against terrorism, adding that people have rendered huge sacrifices in the struggle against militancy in this region.

“Despite the difficult financial situation, the KP government is rehabilitating the damaged infrastructure and providing livelihood opportunities to the people of war-affected and backward areas of the province,” he said.

Gandapur maintained that providing quality healthcare facilities to people was one of his government’s priorities.

“As a first step in this regard, free healthcare facilities under the Sehat Card scheme have been restored for the entire population of the province,” he added and said that the amount allocated for free treatment under the Sehat Card scheme would be increased.

Similarly, he said, efforts were also underway to overcome the deficiencies in the hospitals across the province. Minister for Health Syed Qasim Ali Shah, US Counsel General in Peshawar, Shante Moore and others spoke on the occasion.